


The Ballad of the Sea

by Mistvalkyrie



Category: Arrow (TV 2012), The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Action/Adventure, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Arranged Marriage, Fairy Tale Elements, Falling In Love, Fluff and Smut, Hurt Barry Allen, Hurt/Comfort, Little Mermaid Elements, M/M, Prince Leonard Snart, Romance, Royalty, Shipwrecks, mermaid au, merman Barry Allen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-09
Updated: 2020-07-11
Packaged: 2021-03-03 03:14:13
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 22,312
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24097888
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mistvalkyrie/pseuds/Mistvalkyrie
Summary: The young merprince Bartholomew Henry Allen makes a dangerous deal with the Sea Wizard to meet the human prince he saved from a deathly storm, but if he fails in his quest for true love, he must pay the ultimate sacrifice and become seafoam.Coldflash Little Mermaid AU to celebrate Mer-May
Relationships: Barry Allen/Hunter Zolomon, Barry Allen/Leonard Snart
Comments: 25
Kudos: 80





	1. Stormy Winds

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Moon_for_moon](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Moon_for_moon/gifts).

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! I'm back with a new story to celebrate MerMay!  
> I was thinking that there aren't many Coldflash mermaid au fics so this is my contribution.  
> This story is for Moon_for_moon who posted a beautiful image/prompt that gave me the inspiration to write this fic!  
> Link: [little-mermaid-au](https://moon-for-moon.tumblr.com/post/611510168076861440)  
> Hopefully, it won't suck. So thanks for giving this story a chance! Enjoy!! :D

**“His soul was full of longing for the secrets of the sea.”**   
  


* * *

As always, Barry was going to be late. Today was his father’s celebration and _,_ he had completely lost track of time _._ He had swum far away from the palace to the mysterious fathoms below to explore an old shipwreck full of human artifacts and he completely forgot about the royal celebration. 

“I knew that this was going to be a terrible idea!” Cisco said annoyed trying to swim as fast as Barry, which was basically impossible since Barry was the fastest merman of the realm. “We are going to be in a lot of trouble and Wells is going to kill me!”

“Cisco stop worrying! He won’t kill you and we might just make it on time!” The prince said looking at the golden castle on the horizon that was high upon an underwater hill overlooking the beautiful town. The palace was lighted with a diffuse glow of sunlight and its many pointed towers resembled a golden crown. 

Barry swam as fast as his bright crimson tail allowed him and, on his way, he swirled elegantly avoiding a huge bank of fish that twirled with him almost like a dance. He waved at the fishes and he continued forward through the royal way which was the main waterway through town to the castle.

The vast underwater Kingdom of Central was truly an enchanted world. There were no words that would sufficiently describe the most intricate, delicate, colorful, and perfect marine realm. The transparently clear seawater, the exotic fish painted in striking colors and shades, striped, spotted, in varied sizes and shapes, and the tranquility and harmony in which merfolk and the sea creatures lived in the hidden paradise.

Barry slowed down and glanced back to see the astonishing beauty of the realm and Cisco swimming frantically, struggling to catch up with him. 

“Come on! A starfish is faster than you!” he teased playfully.

“Shut up!” Cisco yelled exhausted. “If I were to use my portals of sea currents you wouldn’t be a match for me!”

“Is that a challenge?” Barry asked spiritedly.

“You wish!” Cisco said scoffing while arriving at the main entrance.

“Don’t tell me you are getting cold fins now, are you?” Barry asked playfully.

“Good day, Your Highness!” a beautiful mermaid with golden hair said entering the palace and checking the prince from head to tail.

“Hi, Patty!” Barry said with a warm smile while she continued her way, waving her turquoise tail.

“It amuses me how oblivious you are!” Cisco scoffed shaking his head.

“What?” Barry asked while frowning confused.

“Dude, she was totally flirting with you…” Cisco explained as if it was the most obvious thing in the ocean.

“I really don’t think so…” Barry murmured while they swam through the hallways of the massive palace where merpeople were converging in the main hall. “She was just being polite.”

“Right…polite…” Cisco said rolling his eyes and followed Barry inside, where the loud sound of the trumpets and fanfare at the royal court announced the arrival of King Henry.

“See…just on time!” Barry said observing his father entering the Royal Court flanked by his two more trusted advisors, Sir Harrison Wells, and Sir Joe West. The royal courtroom was full of a myriad of merfolk and wonderful sea creatures waiting for the King’s announcement and the celebration to start.

“Caitlin told me that your father had a special declaration today,” Cisco whispered looking at the imposing presence of the King holding his all-powerful and golden trident like a scepter.

“It might be about uniting the Seven Seas,” Barry said leaning against a column. “Wells has been working with my father and King Oliver to develop a plan for uniting all merfolk, the north has been giving us some trouble, they refuse to join the alliance without securing their position. They have the most powerful army.”

“Do you think they managed to come into terms and that’s what they want to announce?” Cisco asked curiously.

“It might be,” Barry said deep in thought. “I haven’t heard anything, but it would be nice if they manage to get a deal with all the realms.”

Cisco nodded. They needed that alliance. The humans had been sailing more and more into the ocean, and they were hunting more sea creatures without restrain, so for the protection of their kin and all ocean dwellers the alliance was critical.

“Benevolent Merfolk and creatures of Central and the Deep!” King Henry said and his voice thundered through the royal hall. “Today marks a special anniversary– for many years ago, on this fateful day, I inherited my father’s Kingdom and banished the Sea Wizard, Eobard Thawne from our realm, forever!”

All the sea creatures cheered and hailed the King with devotion and respect. The Sea Wizard was a power-hungry and devilish merman that once lived in the royal palace, he garnered his disgraceful reputation amongst underwater dwellers for his use of black magic and for trying to usurp King Henry to use the Trident to create a tidal wave to kill all humankind and conquer all the land above.

Barry smiled warmly noticing all the love his father received. He was a wise and good King beloved by all creatures in the sea. Barry wondered if he could ever live up to his father’s and realm expectations.

“And so, for this victory and in honor of this occasion, may I announce the arranged marriage proposal of the King of the Northern Sea, Hunter Zolomon to my only son, Prince Bartholomew Henry Allen to bring peace and strength to our realms.”

Barry felt his heart sank. He must have heard wrong. An arranged marriage. He had never heard of this plan. The prince frowned confused while all the royal court clapped and praised happily the announcement of the marriage and Cisco looked at him with concern and surprise written all over his face.

“This can’t be real…” Barry murmured silently in shock.

“Prince Hunter Zolomon will arrive tomorrow at noon and we will have a feast in his honor then we will work with the details of the alliance!” The King continued proudly. “This will give prosperity to all the creatures and the merfolk of our realm.”

Barry glared in shock at his father. It was true that arranged marriages weren’t uncommon, in fact, they were historically prominent in merfolk royalty, but they took the decision without informing him and it hurt.

King Henry turned to glance towards the prince’s designated seat and noticed it was empty. “Where’s my son?” The King asked and an uncomfortable silence befell in the massive hall.

“Oh no!” Cisco whispered dreading the King’s wrath. Henry was an incredibly good father but since the death of Barry’s mother, he had become extremely strict and overprotecting of his only son, due to the grief he suffered.

Barry frowned angrily and turned around to swim far away from the palace towards his hidden grotto.

“Barry!” Cisco yelled following. “Wait!”

“Wait exactly for what?” Barry said moving his tail with distress. “They took a decision about my future without asking me! I’m just a pawn for him and the court.”

“You are not!” Cisco said worriedly. “Barry, your father may be wrong with this plan but he is a caring and loving father! There must be a reason for all of this! You need to talk to him!”

“I can’t accept this Cisco!” Barry said disappointed and feeling betrayed. "I can’t marry someone I don’t even know! I want to marry someone I love! I want a choice! Is that too much to ask?”

Cisco lowered his gaze.

“I’m sorry, I can’t deal with this right now…” Barry said sadly letting out a deep sigh.

“Just talk to him, please,” Cisco added defeated. “I’m sure his intentions aren’t to hurt you.”

The prince exhaled and breathed deeply trying to calm down. “I know, I will try.”

Suddenly, the surface of the calm waters above darkened, and a vast silhouette of a ship’s hull passed overhead distracting the two friends.

“A ship…” Barry whispered in awe feeling an irresistible pull to swim towards it.

“Don’t–” Cisco warned guessing what Barry was thinking. “Barr, exploring a shipwreck is completely different from what you are thinking!”

“I know but this is the perfect opportunity to see the humans up close!” Barry said hesitating a little. Maybe he just needed a distraction from his awful fate or maybe it was just his curiosity and wonder with the world above, but he needed to see it. “I’m sorry!”

Barry swam towards the surface breaking the merfolk rules.

“Barry! Come back!” Cisco shouted after him. “You are swimming in some dangerous waters! You know that contact between the human world and our world is strictly forbidden!”

“I know!” Barry said leaving Cisco and his whole world behind.

The prince surfaced ignoring his friend and beamed with enthusiasm at the magnificent sight of a ship careening across the waves at full speed while the sun setting on the horizon and the sky turning a deep blue.

Barry carefully swam closer to the vessel and he noticed merry music and crewman dancing in celebration. There was so much laughter and everyone seemed so happy that it made Barry’s heart crave to be part of their world.

All of a sudden, a loud sound startled the young prince who instinctively flinched and immediately vivid colorful lights exploded in the sky. Barry felt his heart beating fast with excitement and the thrill of seeing such a beautiful sight. The flaming lights were decorating the night sky, like fiery blooms amongst the stars and reflecting ethereally over the calm sea. Barry smiled entertained with the human’s magic but all of his wonders shifted when he saw a handsome man with eyes as blue as the sky, leaning on the rail of the ship observing the sea and the fireworks in the dark horizon.

“Having fun, Mick?”

“Oh yes, Len…” The tall and scary man said bending over the rail clearly feeling seasick. “Peachy…”

Len scoffed at Mick’s misery. “You truly are a terrible sailor.”

“I like fire and to burn stuff…” Mick said annoyed. “I can’t do either on a damn boat! I swear I only accompany you on these quests for the sake of adventure and to conquer new horizons...and this time because is your damn birthday celebration!”

Len scoffed and Barry carefully and silently moved up on the side of the ship’s hull to get closer to the humans. His gaze lingered on the tall and proud human, with piercing steely blue eyes, with short hair lightly silvered, features chiseled and sharp, slightly tanned by the sun and dressed all in black. He was extremely handsome. Barry blushed crimson feeling his heart beating wildly. He had never had the opportunity to see a human this close before and he never thought they could be so attractive. He was definitely stricken.

“Well I must agree with my dear brother, you are terrible Mick,” a beautiful young woman with golden hair said and she was followed by a strange flurry beast with blue eyes. Barry curiously peeked through a space between the lower rails and felt the tongue of the unknown beast lick his cheek. The young merman giggled silently and the beast howled and moved his tail from side to side playfully.

“What are you howling at, Winter?” Len asked looking at his wolf. “Come here,” He whispered and the wolf jumped against Len’s legs to play with his owner. “Good boy.”

“Sailing is the best, to feel the salt on your skin and the wind in your hair,” Lisa continued looking at the horizon and the fireworks. “The waves as they flow, miles away from shore…there’s nothing better than this freedom!” 

Len nodded with a smirk. “Nothing better, sis.”

“Lovely,” Mick said. “But I’m about to heave!”

Leonard and Lisa laughed while Mick moved away to throw up far away from his friends.

“Oh poor, Mick!” Lisa added chuckling and Len scoffed amused. 

“So how do you feel old man?” Lisa asked teasing her brother. “Enjoying the party?”

“Well, this is definitely better than celebrating it at the palace. I hate unwanted attention.” Len added with relief. 

“Agreed,” Lisa added smiling warmly. 

“It’s a shame that this sense of freedom doesn’t last forever,” Len said longingly looking at the horizon. He couldn’t deny his soul was full of longing for the secrets of the sea.

“I know,” Lisa added taking a drink of her ale. “I feel the same, I wish we could somehow avoid the responsibilities that are waiting for us when we return.”

Len nodded.

Lisa sighed. “I talked to Sir Martin Stein, he told me that now that our father is dead, that the court expects you to marry before your next birthday and before your coronation. They think that we need a strong political alliance with another realm and the entire kingdom wants to see you happily settled down with someone that will make you happy.”

“Nonsense.” Leonard spat annoyed and he directed his attention to Winter, that was howling playfully and stubbornly at the sea. “I don’t need any alliance, queen, or prince to rule my Kingdom.”

“I know you feel that way,” Lisa added disapproving of her brother’s stubbornness and lack of interest in love. “But eventually you are going to need someone Len, the burden of ruling a Kingdom wisely and fairly is too much to deal alone…”

Len groaned. He knew that Lisa was right but his experience in life had only taught him that feelings and love were a liability. A weakness. “I already have you, and the Rogues, I don’t need anyone else…”

“I will always help you Lenny, but you can’t close your heart. I know our farther did terrible things as a King and as a father, but you are not him, and his actions don’t define you...you are better and you deserved to be loved...”

Len sighed. It was pointless to argue with Lisa. He never won. “Fine. But I won’t settle for any arranged marriage our nobles are suggesting. If I were to marry, it would be with someone as carefree and alive as the sea…” Len said firmly and Barry felt his chest tightening with an overwhelming warm fuzzy feeling. He desired exactly the same. He didn’t want to be bound to an arranged marriage without love. He wanted a beautiful love fated by the stars.

“Trust me Lisa, when I come across the one of my dreams, it will hit me like lightning.”

“Hurricane coming!” Sam yelled looking at the cloud dark and unyielding that smothered the starry sky. “The King of the Sea must be angry!”

“King of the Sea?” Mark laughed amusedly. “That’s nautical nonsense – nothing but a sailor’s superstition!”

“Well, superstition or not,” Mick roared frantically with the nauseating movement of the ship. “There’s still a storm coming our way!”

Leonard and Lisa felt the strong wind and they saw lightning threatening their way.

“Batten the hatches, then everyone below deck! And quickly!” Mick yelled hastily. “Len, take the wheel!”

The rogues raced to prepare the ship for the storm while Winter started howling scared.

“Secure the riggin’!” Len yelled as the ship started moving wildly and violently from side-to-side.

Barry tried to hold to the ship but he slipped and was thrown off the vessel and into the angry sea, when he surfaced, he observed with an overwhelming feeling of helplessness how lightning lit the skies with brilliant, threatening and deathly streaks. The strong gales started mocking mercilessly the sailors in their attempt to escape the ocean’s wrath and the ship creaked dangerously as waves thrust forward in great amounts of power.

Without a warning, lightning struck splintering the mainmast. The sound made Barry’s heart skip a beat. Long shards of wood flew in every direction, wounding some of the sailors of knocking them off the deck injured. The sails immediately caught fire and some of the crew started trying to smother the flames with the aid of the rain and wind. It was a world of deathly fire and the ship wasn’t going to hold. Barry saw with dread how some of the crewmen started jumping towards the sea trying to escape the blazing fire while others lowered the small boats to save their lives. Barry glanced to the side and he noticed that they were relatively close to the shore and the humans would be able to make it with the boats.

“LISA!” Leonard yelled desperately from the deck. He couldn’t see her through the smoke and chaos. The air was thick with a briny mist and smoke. The deck was flooded with salty waves. “LISA!”

“Len! Mick yelled from the other side of the ship while he helped lower the lifeboat to the sea. “The fire is getting closer to the gunpowder! It is going to explode!”

“I can’t find her!” the prince yelled frantically. He couldn’t lose her. “I’m not leaving without her!”

“Captain!” A younger sailor yelled from the boat below. “She fell to the sea!”

“Axel, can you see her?” Len asked with panic laced in this voice while he ran through the fire towards the edge of the ship to observe the dark waters.

“No! I lost her! There’s too much smoke!” Axel yelled back his voice almost silenced by the merciless storm.

Barry’s eyes widened anxiously. He needed to do something. He submerged and started looking around for Leonard’s sister. The water was too turbid and the waves were growing so large that it was difficult to swim properly between the debris. After swimming towards the back of the ship, he saw her unconscious and sinking fast. Barry swam towards her and he grabbed her from her waist and swam back towards the surface using all his strength. When he resurfaced, he saw the second mast of the ship break and fall with a thunderous loud sound over the sea. They were running out of time. Barry carefully approached the lifeboat where Mick was and he kicked with this tail some water to splash Len’s friend.

When Mick turned to his side, he swore he saw in the smoke and mist a beautiful young man with a crimson tail hide underwater but it was impossible. Merfolk didn’t exist. He blinked and the mirage was gone and Lisa’s body was floating towards them. 

“Len! We have Lisa!” Mick yelled grabbing the princess with haste. “Jump! Get out of the ship!”

Len grabbed Winter and threw the wolf towards the sea.

Axel with Sam and Mark’s help grabbed the wolf and helped him climb into the boat.

“Len! The gunpowder! JUMP NOW!” Mick roared.

Len glanced back to check that he wasn’t leaving anyone behind but when he was about to jump the ship exploded and he was blown away by the massive explosion and he landed into the ocean wounded.

“NO!!” Mick roared desperately watching hell get loose between the unforgiving waves. He couldn’t see between the darkness of the hail and smoke. 

“LEN!!”

Barry’s heart sank to the bottom of the sea with dread.

“LEN!” Mick continued yelling towards the sea but the waves were trying to silence him with their wrath.

The prince quickly submerged again and swam recklessly through the rubble and the fire trying to find the human prince. He was swimming so fast that he felt some of the wood graze the skin of his arm painfully. He was starting to lose hope when he finally saw him. The human prince was weakly holding to a piece of wood but he slipped and started falling into the deep sea. Barry rushed towards his aid and grabbed tightly the wounded prince by the chest and swam as fast as he could up and then towards the shore of a small bay near a human castle.

The beach normally had beautiful aquamarine waters but now it was completely dark. Barry struggled to reach the beach without worsening Len’s injuries. He inspected the surrounding area that was hidden between cliffs and decided it was a safe place where he could touch the land and try to help Len.

The young merman carefully lay the prince over the white sand fearing he was too late to save him. Barry lowered his ear against the prince’s chest and he listened to a weak and erratic heartbeat. The prince was still alive but he was still badly injured since during the explosion of the ship a splinter of wood pierced his side and he was bleeding badly.

Barry carefully lifted Len’s shirt and removed the offensive shard carefully to inspect the wound. It was deep and…well he honestly knew nothing about human anatomy, but it looked really bad. The blood was turning the white sand an eerie shade of crimson.

Barry placed his hands over the wound and hesitated. He knew he could save Len but it was against merfolk laws. It was forbidden to use his magic to save humans. He was defying his nature, his father, and his kin. His law punished what he was going to do with exile.

Barry looked at Len’s face and all doubts instantly faded away. Len was worth risking all.

“You will be okay….” Barry whispered and he closed his eyes determined and sang from his heart. It was a beautiful song in an ancient language that his mother taught him when he was just a child that could heal any wound with the power of the ocean.

Suddenly, Barry felt a wave of warm lightning coursing through his body and into the human’s wound which started slowly healing. The prince smiled brightly feeling his magic slowly working. Leonard coughed a couple of times startling the merman and then breathed deeply.

“You are safe!” Barry whispered softly, touching carefully and lovingly the prince’s face under the soft light of the moon. “You will be okay…”

Leonard tried to open his eyes but everything was too dark and blurry, but in the midst of his daze he managed to see a beautiful ethereal face with green eyes as deep and bright as a forest. He was probably dead or dreaming. He tried to lift his hand to touch the beautiful illusion before him but he was exhausted so he closed his eyes trying to hold the image in his mind. 

_“What would I give to live where you are…_

_What would I pay, to stay here beside you?”_

Barry sang softly and his tail moved softly over the warm sand.

_“What would I do to see you smiling at me?_

_Where would we walk?_

_where would we run?_

_if we could stay all day in the sun,_

_just you and me,_

_and I could be, part of your world…”_

“LENNY!” Lisa yelled from the other side of the bay. Winter arrived first running towards Barry waving his tail. He licked Len’s face and then Barry’s giving him tickles. The merman smiled and touched the fluffy beast tenderly.

“Take care of him, my hairy friend…”

The wolf howled and moved his tail happily.

“LENNY!”

Barry panicked. He couldn’t be seen by humans and expose the existence of the merfolk, but he didn’t want to leave the prince behind. Barry felt his heart beating hard wishing he had more time. That he could steal time somehow. The prince lowered his glance and noticed that Len was wearing a black sailor knot bracelet, wishing to keep a token of this memory he stole it and he took one last glance of the prince and quickly returned to the sea with a splash. Barry shyly hid behind a rock from where he saw a distressed Mick and Lisa appear at the bay running to find Len lying on the beach and Winter howling playfully at the sea.

“Lenny! Thank the gods!” Lisa yelled falling to her knees next to her brother to hug him dearly. “You are alive! You scared us so badly! I thought I lost you to the sea…”

“I’m okay…” He said embracing Lisa back. “It’s okay…”

“What happened?” Lisa asked observing the blood on the sand. “Are you hurt?”

“A young man… he rescued me…he felt like lightning.”

Lisa felt a shiver run through her spine. She understood what her brother was trying to say.

“Can you stand?” Mick asked offering his hand and he quickly helped Len up. “Are you okay, mate?”

Len coughed a couple of times and nodded. “Yeah… he...has here with me.” The prince said dazed feeling all the pain from the explosion had faded away even his wound. “He pulled me out of the sea and he was singing...”

“Singing!?” Mick exclaimed amused stealing a glance at Lisa who shrugged confused and a little bit in shock. “I think you hit your head a bit too hard, seadog.”

“That voice…” Len said looking at the sea. “I can’t get it out of my head.”

“Lenny, it’s just the sound of the sea, that’s all–” Lisa said concerned wondering if he had a concussion. “You just need to rest…and maybe let Shawna check you…”

“No. He was real.” Len said exhausted struggling to stand on his own. “I need to find him!”

“I promise I will help you find him,” Lisa said. “But now you need to let Mick take you the castle…”

“Yeah, come on Len, I think you have heard too many stories, you better come with us, a night of sleep and you will be good as new…” Mick said, but secretly he couldn’t deny that he saw something he couldn’t explain during the storm, the blood on the sand was also worrisome and Winter currently howling towards the sea wasn’t helping his case. “Come on…too much salty water for one day…”

Barry saw from the distance how Mick and Lisa took Len back to the castle and Winter followed them closely. He closed his eyes tightening his hold on the bracelet he stole. It was enough. It needed to be enough knowing that Len was safe. He couldn’t ask for more but maybe he could dream.

“I don’t know when,” Barry sang softly putting the bracelet in his wrist. “I don’t know how, but someday I will be part of your world...”

The prince smiled sadly at the castle and dived back to the sea ready to accept his reality.

* * *

Barry swiftly swam home. It was late at night and the palace was dimly lit with the beautiful and ethereal light of the moon. He entered the main hall, silently, trying to avoid everyone, especially his father but his plan completely failed when he saw his dad waiting for him in front of his room. Just his luck.

“Bartholomew Henry Allen! Where have you been?” The King roared madly. “I sent our guards on a search! You didn’t attend our celebration and you weren’t near the palace grounds! I have been worried!”

“Our celebration?” Barry spat offended. “You mean your celebration! And I did attend for a minute until you decided to use me as a pawn and announce my arranged marriage to some King I don’t know! You planned my marriage behind my back! _How could you?”_

“Maybe if you decided to address your responsibilities and attend the councils it wouldn’t have come as a surprise!” Henry yelled disappointed his tail fluttering madly. “You need to take your duties seriously!” 

Barry frowned. “That’s your excuse to justify a marriage without love? That I don’t take my responsibilities seriously? I wasn’t even invited to the last two councils! Now I see why!”

Henry sighed. “Barr, first you don’t need an invitation to attend, and secondly you can at least meet him, Prince Hunter has a good reputation that precedes him as a good king and he has good intentions with this new alliance. It is a good opportunity to unite the Seven Seas in peace.”

“At the cost of my happiness?” Barry scoffed sadly. “You know I have always wished to marry for love not for an alliance!” 

Henry exhaled. “As a future King, you need to understand that there are sacrifices that are needed to be made in order to protect our realm. Still, this arranged marriage is just a proposal; you can still reject it if you wish.”

“Reject the proposal of one of the most powerful kings of the sea? And humiliate him risking to break the treaty?”

“This is not definite, Barr. Hunter will be coming to discuss the terms of the pact and to get to know you. He wants to court you properly. But we had to announce his presence and his intentions to the realm to avoid alarming the merfolk with false rumors.”

Barry hesitated. There was some sense in what his father was explaining but he wished he had been informed earlier. 

“What if you fall for him?” Henry asked hopefully. “Give him a chance to court you. ”

“I won’t fall for him,” Barry said defiantly.

“How can you possibly know?” The King asked but suddenly halted and observed his son attentively and noticed a bracelet on his wrist. “Barry, do you love someone? Is there a lucky merman or mermaid I should know about?”

Barry flushed crimson when the image of Len’s face appeared in this mind. His blue eyes, his smile, his voice…

“I… I don’t,” he answered instinctively touching Len’s bracelet. 

“Where were you today?” Henry asked feeling that his son was hiding something from him. Barry was a terrible liar and he also knew about Barry’s admiration for the human world which he completely disapproved since it was too dangerous, a passion his son inherited from his mother, and that eventually caused her doom.

“You were at the surface again! Weren’t you!?” he asked dreading the worse.

“I’m sorry,” Barry said flinching and recoiling his crimson tail.

“Barry! I have told you a thousand times that the surface is completely forbidden!”

“I know but I had to save him! I couldn’t let him drown!”

“Save him? Drown?” Henry asked feeling his anger rising. Barry had not only broken their laws of the surface but he was implying that he helped a human from drowning. “Contact between the human world and the merworld is strictly forbidden! You know that!”

“Without my help, he would have perished!”

“Then it would have been one less human to worry about!” Henry spat heated.

“He isn’t evil and he didn’t deserve to be drowned by the sea!” Barry tried to explain flushing. “He is a good man and he has a good heart.”

“Good heart? Barry, you don’t even know him! For all we know, he could be a murderer!” Henry said with clear disappointment in his voice. “They are all the same. Spineless, savage, harpooning, fish-eaters, incapable of any feeling–“

“He isn’t! He is kind and caring!”

“You love him,” Henry said looking in Barry’s eyes for the answer he feared. “You dared to turn your back on your own kind! To risk our entire existence for the life of one man!?”

“I can’t hate them just because they are different, perhaps you can, but that’s just not me.”

“Different?” Henry repeated affronted. “Barr, they hunt us with their hooks and they spear us with their blades without mercy!”

“They are not all like that!”

“Have you forgotten what they did to your mother!” Henry roared. “To the love of my life!”

Barry shook his head. “Of course not! But we don’t know for certain!”

“Can there be any doubt? She slips one day for an innocent swim and she returns with a spear through her middle and tangled in a net! Murders all of them!”

“You can’t blame all humans for a few wicked ones!”

“Yes, I can! And I consider myself a reasonable merman, and I set certain rules and I expect those rules to be obeyed!” Henry stated. “Tomorrow morning you will greet King Hunter Zolomon properly and you will hear his damn proposal. I pray you to wake up from this madness soon. A love between a human and a merman is forbidden and I will never allow it!”

Barry closed his eyes defeated and exhaled. “As you wish, Your Highness.”

Henry exhaled sadly looking at his son. “All I do is because I love you and I don’t want to lose you like I lost your mother…I couldn’t forgive myself if something bad happened to you…” The king explained and he swam away ending their conversation. 

Barry swallowed his feelings and swam towards his room hastily. His room was beautifully lit with bioluminescent decorations floating offering a calming glow. The prince fell unceremoniously over his bed shaped like a nautilus made of shells and sand and he curled to rest inside, wrapping himself with a woven blanket of colorful kelp. He was exhausted. He wanted to have the strength and courage to fight and choose his own destiny but he didn’t want to disappoint his father any further. He was going to need to lose his dreams in order to protect his kingdom. It was his fate. Barry closed his eyes full of tears and held his wrist with the bracelet close to his heart.

* * *

It was dark in the fathomless depths. The Sea Wizard’s lair was a gigantic creature long since dead, probably the skeleton of a massive whale. Hunter swam towards the main entrance disgusted with the decay and the atmosphere that reeked of death. He slowly unsheathed his black sword made of thorn coral and carefully entered the mage’s lair. Past the main entrance, there was a long corridor where he could hear the souls of merfolk writhing in agony. Merfolk who tried to change their fate with black magic without luck and now they were doomed to a fate worse than death for eternity.

“A King seeking my help…” A deep voice echoed in the main hall. “I’m intrigued.” 

“I don’t need help. I want a deal.” Hunter smirked disdainfully sheathing his sword to the belt around his black tail. “Show yourself, Wizard. I have no time to waste.”

Eobard slowly appeared from the shadows. “What you seek you shall find.”

Hunter nodded acknowledging the mage and glanced around to inspect the hidden lair. In the middle of the room was a large black cauldron, kept inside a sort of pit in the ground. There were yellow plants hanging everywhere and a potion cabinet full of ingredients tucked away for his spells, most of them which were made of various sea creatures, both dead and alive. Lastly, on the far right was a crystal ball, and directly ahead of the main entrance was Thawne’s throne.

“You are supposedly the wisest mage of the sea so I’m guessing you already know what I want,” Hunter said glancing at the crystal ball and then at the mage.

Eobard nodded unamused. “To unite the Seven Seas and to conquer the heart of a certain young prince.”

“Is it possible?” Hunter asked with curiosity looking at the merman in front of him. His tail was a bright yellow and his eyes were eerily red.

“Everything is possible,” Eobard said with a smirk. “For a price.” 

“Of course,” Hunter said unimpressed. “What do you wish as payment for your services?”

“What you desire would be difficult to accomplish since you are a little late…” Eobard said smiling darkly. “And it is going to be more expensive for a King.”

“Name your price, Wizard.”

Eobard smiled and continued. “You must know that I was banished.”

Hunter nodded. “King Henry banished you for using black magic. He cast a spell with his trident to forbid your entrance to Central so you wouldn’t be able to harm the merfolk dwelling in his realm.”

“Indeed. An annoying spell.” Eobard said swimming towards Hunter. “If I were to use my powers to help you and make you ruler of the Seven Seas, I want to be your right hand. I want power in the royal court and I want you to end my banishment. I just want to return home.”

Hunter laughed this was too damn easy. “Deal. If you make me King and give me prince Allen’s heart you will become my right hand and you will be able to return home.”

“That’s all my heart desires,” Eobard said with a bow and immediately he made a scroll of parchment appear in his hand. “I will just need you to sign this contract.”

Hunter grabbed the parchment without hesitation and he signed the paper biding his fate to the Sea Wizard without reading the content. He wasn’t afraid of the mage and he was willing to risk everything for what he desired.

“So, what it’s going to happen now?” Hunter asked giving Thawne the contract. “What do I need to do?”

“As I said before, you are a little late,” Eobard said moving towards the crystal ball. “The young prince already gave his heart.”

Hunter frowned. “Talk clearly. What do you mean?”

“See for yourself,” Thawne said waving his hand over the crystal ball and Hunter saw the image of a deathly storm and Barry saving a human prince with the ocean’s healing powers.

“He fell in love with a human and not any human, a human prince.”

“A human prince?” Hunter said disgustedly. “It’s forbidden, it is against our nature and law. King Henry won’t allow it.”

“It is forbidden indeed.” Eobard continued. “But the prince loves him enough to risk his life.”

“Can you make the prince forget the human?”

“No, and my _love magic_ won’t work over him while he is in love.” 

“What?” Hunter yelled while he unsheathed his sword. “You tricked me!”

“No. I don’t need to trick anyone.” Eobard laughed ominously. “I told you it was going to be hard to accomplish but not impossible.”

“I will do whatever it takes.”

“Good. First, you will need to sheath that sword before you hurt yourself,” Eobard said mockingly. “Then you will have to let him go.”

“What?” Hunter asked skeptically.

“I need the prince’s heart to be weakened for my plan to work. He needs to lose hope, we need his heart to break…and the only one who has the power to do that is the human prince.”

“Fine,” Hunter said but he didn’t look convinced. “Just explain the damn plan already!”

“You will tell Prince Allen about my powers. His love for the human prince will bring him here. I will make a deal with the young prince, to change his tail for legs for three days. It will be a deal impossible for him to accomplish but he is stubborn and he will try it anyway, then when he will inevitably fail and then we will have his soul and heart at our mercy. Then you will ask King Henry for the trident to save the prince, then you will have both, the prince and the realm in your hands. Then as the King, you will lift my banishment and I will return to Central.”

“Your plan is flawed,” Hunter added coldly. “What if the human falls in love with him?”

“He won’t,” Eobard said somberly. “Prince Leonard Snart has no heart. King Lewis made sure of that. Prince Allen won’t be able to succeed and if by any chance we see that he is going to win I will personally intervene.”

“Good. He must be mine.” Hunter added threateningly and Eobard nodded amused with the King’s obsession.

“He will be,” Eobard said forebodingly.

* * *

Barry woke up feeling nervous. He was afraid of meeting King Hunter Zolomon. He knew the king was older than him, that he was an excellent warrior, and that his goal was to unite the Seven Seas but that was all he knew. Barry sighed and reluctantly moved out of his bed to prepare himself to try to look his best.

Reluctantly, he removed Len’s sailor bracelet and he placed it inside a small chest he had rescued from an old shipwreck. He grabbed his silver crown and placed it over his head and then he took his silver arm braces to wear on his forearms since they were the sign of his royal status. Barry breathed deeply, his crown felt too heavy over his head and there was nothing he could do about it because even if he dared to challenge his fate, there was no way he could change his tail for legs to walk beside Len in the world above under the stars. It was impossible. It was just a beautiful forbidden dream.

“Barry!” Cisco said entering the room with haste. The prince turned around to see him accompanied by Caitlin and Iris.

“Hey, Barr! How are you feeling?” Iris asked swimming towards the prince to embrace him tightly.

“I’m fine. I was just getting ready to meet him.”

Iris nodded and smiled warmly. “Everything is going to be fine and you look really handsome.”

Barry smiled restlessly. “Thanks.”

“You need to tell us about the ship! Did you see the humans?” Cisco asked with curiosity swimming around his friend. “I told them about the ship we saw yesterday.”

“I did,” Barry confessed smiling warmly remembering Len’s beautiful blue eyes. 

“Oh, you must tell us more!” Caitlin said with a flick of her crystal blue tail. “Come on! We will accompany you to the throne room and you can tell us your tale.”

Barry nodded and on their way to the throne room he told his friends about the deathly storm and how he saved Len and his sister from drowning. He confessed as well that he had used his powers to heal the human prince betraying the laws of his kin.

“That was a terrible idea…” Cisco murmured concerned. If the King knows about this you will be in a lot of trouble.

“I know…” Barry exhaled. “But I just couldn’t let him die…”

“Oh! You love him!” Iris yelped excited and Barry quickly placed his hand over Iris's mouth. 

“Shh…I can’t love him, Iris.” Barry whispered anxiously afraid that someone might hear them. “He is a human and I’m on my way to meet my future husband…remember?”

Iris nodded and Barry removed his hand. The mermaid pouted and with her purple tail, she hit Barry’s tail playfully. “Barr, listen to me there is nothing that I want more than for you to meet the right person that totally loves and adores you for the amazing guy that you are and I don’t care if that person is merfolk or a human.”

“It is impossible Iris,” Barry said shaking his head trying not to let himself dwell on the thought of Len and the surface. He couldn’t dream, it was too painful for his heart. “Besides I might not be his type!”

Iris laughed loudly. “Believe me, Barry, that prince would be crazy not to love you.”

Barry frowned thinking completely the opposite but he didn’t say anything. They had finally arrived at the entrance of the throne room and Hunter was probably waiting for him inside with his father. Barry exhaled nervously.

“I guess I will see you guys later,” Barry said with a weak smile.

“Yeah,” Cisco said and Caitlin and Iris nodded. “We will be swimming near the grotto. Come and seek us when you finish your meeting with King Hunter.”

“I will,” Barry said with a smile and the guards opened the door for him, announcing his presence.

The prince entered the impressive throne room with a deep ache in his chest and a bright fake smile, swallowing his pride and feelings.

“Father…”

Henry smiled proudly looking at Barry. “King Hunter, this is my son, Prince Bartholomew.”

The King of the Northern Sea, turned around to greet the prince and he felt his heart skip a beat at the sight. He had a plan. He wanted the prince’s heart to rule Central winning the sympathy of the merfolk who loved the monarchy. He wanted him as a prize for his conquest. He wanted it as a leverage on the alliance. But that plan changed the moment he finally saw the prince. Barry was the most stunningly beautiful merman he had ever laid eyes on. His face was beautiful, fair skin, deep green eyes, lean body, and a crimson bright tail, shimmering like flames of an ever-burning fire with translucent delicate red fins. He was a dream. 

Hunter smiled at Barry and bowed courteously. “Your Highness, it is a pleasure to finally meet you. I have traveled from far away in hopes of creating an alliance with your lovely realm to unite the Seven Seas, to make official my marriage proposal, and to court you properly.”

Barry flushed crimson. He was expecting an old King, but Hunter was young, attractive, he had a powerful aura that was a little intimidating but handsome.

“The honor is mine…” Barry mumbled clumsily.

Hunter smiled flickering his huge black tail.

“I was asking your father if you will be willing to show me around, it’s been a long time since I visited Central?”

Barry glanced at his father who nodded eagerly with approval.

“Of course, it will be my pleasure to show you around.”

King Henry smiled. “Just remember that the feast tonight on King Hunter’s honor will be at sundown.”

“I promise I won’t be late,” Barry said feeling Hunter’s blue eyes on him. “Shall we go?”

“Of course,” Hunter said thrilled to know his fiancé better. “I will follow your lead, Your Highness.”

Barry nodded and struck the water with his crimson fin ready to swim with Hunter by his side. The prince showed Hunter the magnificent royal court that was like a big amphitheater, the royal concert hall, the main hall, the coronation room, and the undersea courtyard.

“The palace is truly magnificent but the gardens are wonderful,” Hunter said fascinated with the beauty of gardens full with bright coral reefs, colorful seaweed, and kelp, and gathered there on the seabed where thousands of sea stars of every shape and sizes.

Barry smiled brightly. “And this isn’t my favorite spot, you need to see this!”

Hunter chuckled with the prince’s sincere charm and followed him towards a cave found underneath the hill where the palace had been constructed. Upon entering the cave, he understood Barry’s fascination. It was a crystal cave and the waters were very clear thanks to the mineral-reach area. It was indeed beautiful.

“Your Highness,” Hunter said grabbing softly the prince hand. “I must ask. What do you feel about me courting you?”

Barry felt a tense expression overtaking his face. It was a very tricky question. He didn’t want to lie to Hunter who seemed like a good suitor but on the other hand, he didn’t want to disappoint his father and realm with the truth.

“I…I don’t know,” Barry confessed sadly lowering his gaze. “I guess, I still don’t know you…”

Hunter nodded. “Do you find me unpleasant?” 

Barry’s green eyes widened afraid that he had insulted the King somehow. “No, is not that…is just that all of my life I dreamed about marrying for love and well­–”

“You don’t love me.” Hunter finished for him. “Do you love someone else?”

Barry nodded ashamed feeling his face turn as crimson as his tail.

“Does your father know about this?”

Barry hesitated but shook his head. “No, he doesn’t. I think he guesses, but no…”

“What does your lover think about this arranged marriage?”

Barry cringed humiliated. He felt pathetic pining for an impossible love. “Well, he doesn’t know about my feelings, so I guess you don’t need to worry about that, I promise my feelings for him won’t hinder the alliance you wish to build nor our marriage.”

Hunter lifted his eyebrows surprised. “I understand they may not interfere with the alliance but they will affect the sincere affection I feel for you. Your heart will always be restless wondering what would have happened if you confessed his love to him.”

Barry lifted his glance surprised with Hunter’s words. 

“Let’s make a deal, my prince,” Hunter added tightening his hold tenderly on Barry’s hand. “I will give you three days to try your luck with your love. If this lucky merman loves you back, I will withdraw my proposal to annul our arranged marriage without hindering the alliance. I understand the feeling of craving true love and I wish I could steal your heart from the one who stole yours, but I am fair and merciful and I will fight for your heart _fairly._ ”

Barry felt his eyes fill with warms tears. He swallowed hard. He wasn’t even sure if he could accomplish declaring his love for a human but Hunter was right, he needed to try.

“Thanks.”

The King smiled. “Well you are stunningly attractive, I’m sure you won’t have a problem charming your special one, and if not, there’s always Eobard who can help you win his favor with a bit of magic.”

Barry’s eyes widened. “Eobard?”

Hunter almost felt bad seeing the hope on the prince’s green eyes. How naïve the young merman was.

“The Sea Wizard. He was banished for using black magic. Legends said that he is someone who could make all your dreams come true.”

Barry tried to hide his curiosity but failed. He was intrigued. “Is he that powerful?”

“Well, ancient tales mentioned that he was so powerful he could give human legs to merfolk. Could you believe that?”

Barry felt his chest get full of hope.

“But legends mention that his powers come with a great price.” Hunter continued. “Nothing is for free.”

“Right, but that’s just legends…” Barry said chuckling but lowering his gaze contemplating the risks of visiting the Sea Wizard. “Well, I think I should go…my friends are waiting for me.”

“Of course, I wish you good luck,” Hunter added lifting Barry’s hand to kiss it lovingly. “I will wait for you, my prince.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope the start of this story was enough to keep you wanting more! I'm so glad you decided to read it and I hope you will continue on this journey with me until the very end. ♥ Let me know what you think! :D  
> Next chapter: Barry makes a dangerous deal.


	2. Fathomless Depths

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! I'm back with a second chapter for this story to celebrate MerMay! :D  
> I hope you guys enjoy it! ♥

**“For his love, I will even try to change the tides.”**

* * *

Barry swam as fast as he could towards his room. He grabbed his old bag and started filling it with golden and shiny artifacts and relics he had collected from exploring old shipwrecks. Things he knew that had some value for humans and that maybe could work as payment for the sea wizard.

The prince removed his silver crown and placed it over his bed and grabbed the bracelet he had stolen from Len, to wear it under his right arm brace for luck. Confident with his decision and summoning all of the courage he had, he escaped the palace avoiding all the guards and he started swimming towards the sea wizards’ lair.

He had a vague idea of the location of the den since he had seen it marked in his father’s old maps. It was hidden outside the domains of the realm in a forbidden territory considered too dangerous for merfolk since legends mentioned the presence of deathly monsters like Cetus, Charybdis, Leviathan, and the Kraken, creatures that if awaken could destroy their realm and everything in their path.

The prince carefully swam through deep-sea gorges with powerful currents and crossed over a vast region of volcanic activity full with vents and dangerous fissures on the seafloor to get towards his destination. He knew it was a dangerous journey but Len was definitely worth the risk. Feeling a little vulnerable in the scary waters he was swimming, he started wondering if maybe he should have taken his sword with him. He had never been there before and he wasn’t sure what to expect. Soon, he started noticing that neither kelp, seaweed, or corals grew, nothing but bare, gray sandy ground stretched near a strange and unnatural whirlpool where the water whirled around and everything that was seized was cast it into the fathomless deep.

Barry swallowed nervously and passed through the crushing whirlpools to reach the dominions of the sea wizard. In an instant, he found himself entering a strange forest, in which all the underwater trees and flowers were scary polyp, that looked like twirling serpents with a hundred heads growing out of the ground. The branches were like slimy arms with fingers like flexible worms, moving up trying to grab him. Barry darted forward trying to escape their clutches ignoring his heart beating painfully in his chest.

On his way, he saw that the polyp held in their grasp white skeletons of human beings who had perished at the sea, and had sunk down into the deep waters, skeletons of land animals and rests of ships...even a merman who they had caught and strangled to the death, a sight that was the most shocking of all.

Soon, he came to a place where the waters started getting colder and darker. On the horizon was the skeleton of a gigantic creature long since dead. A whale. Barry halted nervously, the whole sea reeked of death and despair, and his traitorously mind provided the rumors that some merfolk believed that Eobard Thawne wasn’t just a mage but an immortal sea demon. He swallowed hard trying to find his courage to continue his path. 

Silently, the prince entered the wizard’s cave. It was very dark and only a yellow dim light was shining at the end of the long hallway. Barry felt a shiver run through his spine when he heard a bloodcurdling sound echoing all around him. The cries of sea dwellers writhing in agony. He started hesitating. This was a terrible idea. He had been so stupid to trust Hunter and he had rushed into the underworld like a fool.

“Come in, Your Highness, you shouldn’t lurk in the shadows, it’s rude.” 

An oddly arcane and distorted voice said from somewhere behind and above him and Barry felt his heart halt and his tail tensed ready to flee. The prince saw the yellow light at the end of the tunnel flicker and he wavered. He shouldn’t be here. Maybe it wasn’t too late to turn back…

“I believe you are here because you love a human, well not any human, a human prince…am I right?”

Barry didn’t find his voice to answer. He was ashamedly frozen wondering how could the wizard already knew that.

“Don’t be afraid, my prince… if that’s so, the solution to your problem is quite simple.”

“How?” Barry whispered weakly seeking the source of the voice.

“The only way to get what you want…” Eobard whispered next to Barry, causing the prince to jump startled. “Is to become a human yourself.”

“That’s impossible…” Barry said turning around to look at Eobard’s deep red eyes.

"Is it?" The wizard said with a smirk and a lingering look. The anticipation of destroying the young prince’s naïve and innocent spirit sent a thrilling shiver down his spine. To witness the beautiful light in those green eyes slowly die over time might even be more enjoyable than what he was planning for his endgame.

“Follow me…”

Barry could feel his heart racing with fear, but he swam inside the cave following the sea wizard, ignoring all the foreboding signs. Soon, they stopped inside a massive room with a huge black cauldron, potions, a crystal ball, and a sort of throne room. 

“Can you help me?” Barry asked shyly inspecting the unnerving room.

“My dear, prince. That’s what I do. It’s what I live for. To help unfortunate merfolk like yourself. Poor souls with no one else to turn to.”

Barry turned to see the wizard, who was looking at him with curiosity. Eobard Thawne’s hair was blonde and his tail was golden like the sun. He wasn’t as scary as the legends told but he could feel an evil and threatening aura radiating from him.

“I shouldn’t be here.” Barry murmured conflicted. “The King says you are wicked and that your magic is evil.”

“Well, your father says the same thing of humans, doesn’t he?” Eobard said sneering sharing a knowing look. “And we both know that’s not true, don’t we?”

“Why did he banish you?” He obviously knew the tale his father had told him years ago but he wondered if there was more to it.

Eobard scoffed dismissively. “The ocean wasn’t big enough for both of us and now he’s driven you away too…hasn't him?”

“He doesn’t understand me,” Barry whispered sadly looking away.

“Oh! But I do.” Eobard said with a warm smile while he studied the prince with his penetrating gaze. “You love a human and you want to get rid of your beautiful crimson fishtail so you can walk on land next to him and conquer his heart.”

Barry’s green eyes widened and shined with silent hope.

“Here is my offer, Your Highness,” Eobard said appearing a scroll with the contract in his hand. “I know a potion that will turn you into a human for three days. But listen well, since it has a procedural clause, sort of a “squid pro quo.” Before the sun sets on the third day, you have got to get the human prince to declare his love to you with a true love kiss. If you do, you will stay human forever…”

“And if I don’t?”

“Nothing drastic,” Eobard said shrugging. “You will become mine forever and if you try to escape our deal you will fade into seafoam.”

Barry frowned. It sounded pretty drastic and he wasn’t sure he could make Len love him in three days and what exactly would Eobard do with him? 

“And there is one more thing…” Eobard added licking his lips. “My fee. Nothing is free.”

“Of course,” Barry said and he opened his bag to show the wizard his golden relics and jewels. 

Eobard laughed. “I don’t need your human treasures; you can keep that. I need something much more valuable.”

Barry frowned unsure closing his bag. “Well, I don’t have much…”

“It is not a trifle that I ask. I want the best thing you possess.” Eobard smiled wickedly. “I will need your powers bestowed upon you by the ocean and your lovely voice.”

Barry’s mouth felt dry, when he spoke it was quiet. “My powers and _voice_?”

“Your powers to make the draught…” Eobard explained trivially. “I lost my powers when your father exiled me. Now I will need them to help you and your voice well... I want that as payment.”

Barry creased his brow. “But, how will I tell him who I am? That I saved him? That I love him.”

Eobard shrugged. “I cannot give you the answers that you seek, you must find them yourself. Such as life, magic has no simple answers.”

Barry nodded concerned.

“Listen closely,” Eobard added darkly. “The moment you step on land your voice will be gone, you won’t be able to heal from the wounds as you do here in the ocean, you won’t have the magic of the songs of our kin to charm the human prince and you won’t be able to command the sea as you wish, you will _almost_ be truly a human…”

“Almost?” Barry asked noticing the emphasis in that particular word.

“You will need to constantly hydrate on land or you could die.”

“Hydrate?”

Eobard rolled his eyes. “As a creature of the sea, if you don’t have contact with water you will eventually pass out…”

Barry nodded. Somehow, that kind of made sense.

“Also, my magic will give you the legs you desire so badly, but it will be painful, it is the cost of going against your nature. Every step you take will feel like treading upon the point of sharp knives.”

“I understand…” Barry whispered knowing he was risking everything and there was no going back. The prince lowered his gaze and Eobard swam smoothly towards him to lift his beautiful face.

“What does your heart truly desire, my prince?”

“I would give gladly all the hundreds of years that I have to live and my voice for three days with Leonard. I want to know happiness besides him in the world below the stars.”

“Then we have a deal.”

Barry nodded and grabbed the scroll to sign the contract and Eobard smiled ominously pleased that his plan was finally working.

“Come forth winds of the Caspian Sea,” Eobard said and his eyes shined a dark red like the stone on his ring. The wizard lifted his arms and a vortex of violent water with red lightning surrounded Barry, making him spin and twist painfully. “Retrieve the immortality and the powers bestowed by Poseidon in this merfolk soul.”

A bolt of yellow lightning cracked around Barry’s body and the prince felt his energy being taken away from him. Whatever the spell was doing was draining him and it was uncomfortable. He felt as he was losing a part of himself. Suddenly, the vortex faded and Eobard trapped Barry’s powers in his golden ring. Barry fell towards the seabed exhausted and breathless.

“Now, I will prepare the draught for you to remove your lovely tail.”

Barry looked sorrowfully at his crimson fin. He had always been proud of his color and speed and now he was about to lose everything for love even his voice. 

“You must swim to land tomorrow before sunrise, and drink it. Your tail will then disappear, and shrink up into what mankind calls legs. You will feel great pain, but all who see you will say that you are the prettiest little human being they ever saw. You will still have the same floating gracefulness of movement, and no dancer will ever tread so lightly, but at every step, you take it will feel as if you were treading upon thousands of pieces of shattered glass. If you will bear all this, you will be able to change your fate.”

Barry took a deep breath thinking of Len. “Yes, I will. I will endure all of it…”

“Be warned.” The sea wizard continued. “For when once your shape has become like a human being, you can no more be a mermaid if you win his love. You will never return through the water to your friends, or to your father’s palace again; and if you do not win the love of the prince so that he is willing to forget all he cares for your sake, and to love you with his whole soul, then the first morning after the three days you will become mine and if you try to run away you will become seafoam on the crest of the waves.”

Barry felt his resolve falter. “If I become human, I will never see my family again…”

“That’s right, but you will have your happily ever after with the man of your dreams. Life is full of tough choices, isn’t it?”

“I will do it.”

“Good,” Eobard said placing his cauldron on the fire, to prepare the magic draught. The mage grabbed a vessel with snakes, which he had tied together in a large knot and add them into the cauldron; then he pricked his hand and let a black blood drop into it. The steam that rose formed itself into such horrible dark shapes that made Barry’s skin crawl. Every moment the wizard threw something else into the vessel, and it began to boil, the sound emitted was like the weeping of a tormented soul and his ring shined a dark crimson glow.

When at last the magic draught was ready, it looked like the clearest water.

“After you drink this, you will keep your graceful form and your expressive eyes; surely with all these attributes you can enchain any man’s heart.”

Barry blushed brightly. He wasn't so sure about that.

“For you.” The wizard said giving Barry a glittering draught, which shone in his hand like a twinkling star. “Remember, drink it tomorrow before sunrise.”

Barry nodded thankfully.

“And now I believe you are late for the welcoming feast of King Hunter,” Eobard said amused.

“Oh no! The feast!” Barry yelped worried and glanced back at Eobard. “How did you–?”

“I know everything,” Eobard said dismissively. “Now swim, Barry, swim!”

* * *

Barry placed the shinning draught in his bag and swam back towards the palace as fast as he could avoiding all the dangers on his path. Soon, he was entering the castle, and, in his room, he hid his bag and grabbed his crown to wear it to the celebration. Quickly, he swam towards the feast hall and when he entered the massive chamber, he noticed that all the guests were already seated talking with each other and waiting for him.

Barry swam to his place next to King Hunter and his father with an awkward smile. He saw Cisco, Caitlin and Iris wearing a questioning look on their faces and a severe glare from his father.

The King ordered the feast to begin and everyone continued talking merrily and drinking while the food arrived.

Hunter smiled with a smirk and leaned to his side to whisper to the prince. “Late again…” 

“My specialty,” Barry whispered back looking into Hunter’s deep blue eyes.

Hunter laughed amused and took a sip of his drink.

“Your Highness, there’s something I need to tell you.”

“Please, call me Hunter.”

“Hunter,” Barry said. “I will leave tomorrow for three days. I will go and confess my feelings to the one I love. I will follow your advice.”

“Then I shall wait for your return,” Hunter said capturing the prince’s hand to kiss it.

Barry blushed madly slowly retreating his hand and redirected his glance towards the food. There were a lot of exquisite dishes made of seaweed like wakame salads sprinkled with shredded dulse and coconut, bowls of ogonori, nori wraps with sweet mild-flavored arame, plates of Umi budo that were like sea grapes, tiny clusters of bubble-like leaves that grow on long stems that its tiny pearls burst in the mouth when eaten and release the brininess of the sea, broth of winged kelp, and for dessert pudding and jelly of carrageen moss. Honestly, everything looked delicious but he wasn’t hungry. He was anxious.

“You should eat then,” Hunter added concerned. “You don’t know the perils that await in your journey.”

“I know…” Barry said grabbing some salad. “It is just that I am nervous…what if he doesn’t like me?”

Hunter laughed surprised. “What’s there not to like about you? I think you are the most beautiful merman I have ever seen...” Hunter confessed feeling his face turn a light shade of red. “And in this short amount of time we have shared together you have shown me how brave and fierce you are, fighting for what you desire against impossible odds. I admire your courage and I hate myself for letting you go so easily…”

Barry shrank in his seat. “I’m still not sure if this is stupidity or courage.”

“Well, I believe most of the time they are tightly connected,” Hunter added with a warm smile, and Barry laughed.

“I guess you are right…” Barry said ashamed looking at Hunter’s blue eyes. “I wanted to apologize.”

“Why?”

“I was really angry when my father announced the marriage proposal, I didn’t want to meet you and I guess I never thought you could be so thoughtful…you are a really a good suitor and you could have anyone you desire–”

“Not anyone,” Hunter added tightening his lips.

Barry’s eyes widened grasping the meaning behind his words. “I’m sorry…”

“You don’t have to worry about me,” Hunter said. “I would hate to see you in a marriage you don’t desire. I just hope that if your loved one rejects you; you would at least try to accept me.”

“I will.”

Hunter nodded pleased with the answer and they continued dinning. The feast went by like a blur. Barry was so focused on thinking about Len and the potion waiting for him in his room that his mind wasn’t really there at all. He was fidgeting with Len’s bracelet, wondering if the human prince will want to meet him? How was he going to enter the palace? He didn’t have a plan and he only had three days–

“Would you honor me with a dance?” Hunter asked breaking Barry’s thoughts.

Barry opened his eyes. He hadn’t even noticed that he had closed them deep in thought and observed a lot of couples dancing. The ballroom was lively with music and laughter all around.

“Sure…” Barry said grabbing Hunter’s hand. “But I should warn you I’m a terrible dancer.”

“Somehow I find that hard to believe,” The King said pulling Barry to the dance floor closing their proximity to enjoy a slower dance.

Barry swiftly noticed that Hunter was taller, towering nicely over him and that he was a good dancer. He followed Hunter’s lead and they flowed with the music and the water, graceful and in sync for a while.

“I seriously hope you come back to me.” The king whispered.

Barry smiled weakly since he didn’t have a nice answer to offer.

Suddenly, with a smooth movement, Barry gasped when he felt Hunter’s black tail wrapping around him in a very intimate movement to spin together. Barry flushed brightly noticing everyone’s attention was now fixed on them.

The King gazed down into Barry’s green eyes. “Your father is looking at us and he seems pleased with us dancing together.”

“Well in his mind you are the best option of a suitor…” Barry whispered squirming a little feeling Hunter’s hand on his back and thinking of Len. 

“I can’t say I disagree with that.”

Barry scoffed with the irony. “I guess you are right again…”

They danced together until midnight stealing glances from all the noble merfolk. Their union meant a lot for the future of their realms and it was inevitable their curiosity. It was late when the moon started shining brightly upon them and all the guests started leaving.

“I should leave…” Barry whispered sad, noticing that his friends were no longer in the feast and he won't be able to say goodbye. 

Hunter bowed courtly and kissed Barry’s hand. “Good luck, my prince.”

Barry excused himself from the celebration and swam swiftly to his room to grab the shinning potion. He left his crown and he exited the palace hiding in the shadows, avoiding all the guards. He swam fast and then glanced back and saw that the torches of the ballroom were now extinguished, and all the town asleep under the warm glow of the moon. Barry tried not to think much about leaving his family and friends forever since if felt like his heart would break. He exhaled and without looking back he swam towards the surface to meet his fate.

The prince rose up through dark blue waters. The night was beautiful and the light of the moon was beaming over the calm ocean. It was like if the whole sea was asleep. Barry saw the hidden bay and the castle at the top of the cliff and he felt his heart beating harder daydreaming with a life he had always secretly longed. It was time.

“Barry!”

The prince felt his heart skip a beat and almost choked. He turned around and saw Cisco, Caitlin, Iris, and Julian glaring suspiciously at him.

“What are you guys doing here?” the prince asked somehow pleased and surprised.

“We followed you,” Iris explained as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. “And we were going to ask exactly the same to you. Since you met Hunter you have been acting really strange, we waited for you at the grotto and you didn’t arrive and then you were late to the feast.”

“Well, in Barry’s defense, being late that’s pretty normal for him,” Julian added amused.

Barry laughed. “That’s kind of true.”

Iris rolled her eyes.

“What’s going?” Caitlin asked worriedly. “You know we shouldn’t be swimming near the surface; it is too dangerous…”

“I went to see the sea wizard,” Barry confessed rubbing the back of his neck.

“You what?” Iris and Cisco said in unison.

“Have you lost your mind?” Julian asked bewildered. “Why on Poseidon’s name you decided to do that? He could have killed you!”

Barry bit his lip and gathered the courage to tell the truth to his friends. “I made a deal with the sea wizard. I exchanged my powers and my tail for legs and he asked for my voice as payment. I want to confess to the human prince that I love him. 

Iris paled, Caitlin gasped in shock and Julian just closed his eyes aware of the deep trouble they were in.

“Oh no!!” Cisco yelped concerned with a high pitch in his voice. “Barr, you were definitely ripped off!”

Caitlin hit Cisco in the shoulder.

“Ouch!” Cisco added annoyed. “It’s true! It was a lousy swap. Barry’s tail and voice are beautiful and what kind of creep asks for voice as payment? seriously?”

“There must be a way to break the deal,” Julian said nervously. “I mean you still have your tail and voice, so it is not too late! We can go back and tell your father…”

Barry shook his head. He couldn't turn back. 

“Maybe there’s still time. If we could get the wizard to give you back everything, you could go back home, with all the normal fishes and merfolk and…just be… just be…” Julian observed Barry’s sad pout. “Be miserable for the rest of your life…”

Barry sighed. “I want this. I don’t want to live my life without knowing what could have happened if I didn’t take this risk… I love Leonard and I want this opportunity even with all the dangers and the odds against me… even if it means losing my life.”

“Barry you are the heir to the crown, you can’t lose your life just because you fancy a human!” Julian exclaimed exasperated.

“If you take the potion how much time you will turn into a human?” Caitlin asked frowning. “Is it forever? Is it reversible?”

“Three days and if he doesn’t give me a true love kiss, I will turn into seafoam.”

“Oh my god! This is a catastrophe! Three days?!” Cisco yelped hopelessly. “We are doomed!”

“Why are you being so dramatic?” Barry asked suddenly feeling slightly offended.

“Barry…” Cisco said slowly grabbing the prince by his shoulders. “You are terrible at flirting. You don’t even notice when someone is trying to court you…”

“That’s not true…” Barry said affronted. “I mean, I noticed Hunter’s wooing.”

Iris laughed loudly. “Barr, that doesn’t even count, Hunter was as subtle as a whale. If it were for him, he would have had sex with you tonight on the ballroom.”

“Yeah,” Cisco added a bit uncomfortable. “And how about Patty?”

“That doesn’t count!” Barry snapped. “She wasn’t even flirting with me!”

“She was!” They all said in unison.

“You guys weren’t even there!” Barry said looking at Caitlin and Iris.

“It wasn’t even necessary to be there,” Iris added unamusedly.

Cait nodded. “Yeah, we all know she likes you.”

“Ugh…” Barry said suddenly feeling worried. They could be right. If he was terrible at flirting, he was doomed. There was no way he could make Len notice his interest in just three days and without his voice…he was going to become seafoam!

“Barr, calm down,” Iris said worried splashing some water to the prince’s face. “I can see you are internally panicking.”

“He is always panicking,” Cisco added. "He never thinks things through..."

“Do you really want this?” Iris asked.

“I love him,” Barry confessed flushing. “For his love, I will even try to change the tides.”

Iris and Caitlin exhaled charmed.

“Then we are all going to help you,” Cisco said plainly. 

“Exactly how? He is going to be on land and we are going to be here in the sea!” Julian said raising his eyebrows. “This is madness!”

“We will try to always be in the cave near the bay at night if you need anything come and seek us…” Cisco explained.

Iris nodded. “We love you and we want your happiness and if you really love this human, we will help you win his heart no matter what.”

Barry smiled brightly and then embraced his friends.

“So, what now?” Cisco asked struggling to breathe in the group hug.

“I need to drink a potion before sunrise,” Barry explained releasing everyone and taking from his bag the shinning draught in the crystal vial. It looked like a bright star. “This will give me legs.”

“At least it doesn’t look threatening,” Cisco added surprised.

“It’s twilight, you need to take it now,” Julian said seeing the colors of the sky changing. "You can't waste time."

Barry nodded uneasily and he drank the unflavored potion. Everyone remained in silence with nervous anticipation. The rhythm of the waves becoming the markers of time.

Nothing happened.

“Is that it?” Cisco asked with curiosity. “Did it work? Can you speak?”

“I don’t–” Barry gasped feeling a warm feeling bathing his skin. Soon, the water around him started shining with an ethereal white glow. Caitlin, Cisco, and Julian swam back giving the magic some space.

“Awesome!” Cisco said appreciating the radiant glow of magic.

“We should start moving near the beach…” Caitlin suggested but suddenly the light turned into a dark vortex of water that surrounded the prince and swallowed him down back into the sea.

“Barry!” Iris yelled desperately. She couldn’t see her friend. “Where is he?”

"Shouldn't he be moving to land not down!?" Julian yelped.

“I can’t see him!” Cisco yelled diving back under the surface.

The pain started. Barry doubled in agony inside the vortex of water. He felt his whole body burning and he trashed madly. It was indescribable. Sharp. Hot. Cold.

He was sinking and he heard Eobard’s voice in his mind.

_“Swim for your life towards the surface or you will drown, my prince!”_

Barry’s eyes widened and he quickly started swimming up towards the surface again but what was once natural form him, was now getting very hard and impossible to do. Soon, he felt the dark magic like a sword piercing through his body, he felt like his fin was being torn in half and his crimson scales started to fall away. Agonizingly slow, he finally shed his tail, revealing long perfect human legs. He tried to swim towards the bay but it was getting very difficult. He inhaled water and he felt a flood in his chest unlike before, it was strangling, painful, and torturous. The crisp, salty, and cold water filling unnaturally his lungs was like a horrible nightmare. His eyesight was going blurry and he started desperately flailing his arms to swim up.

As the sun started to shine in the world above, Barry crashed through the waves and took his first breath of air. It was weird and painful. He closed his eyes and willed the panic away, struggling to survive. Instinctively, he started kicking towards the shore with his new legs but he was barely able to move them properly but the waves soon washed him over the shore.

The prince finally rolled on his back on the familiar beach where he had saved Len and clutched his chest that was still burning. Weak and unsteady, he coughed frantically and slowly crawled away from the waves of the sea to the safety of the warm and grainy beach. Shaking with fear, adrenaline, and anxiety, he glanced back trying to see his friends, to try to tell them that he had made it, but he couldn’t see, his world was fading in and out of focus and spinning. Exhausted and feeling as if a wave of ice was slowly dripping down his body, he collapsed over the sand panting and curling into a fetal position trying to stay awake, but soon his world faded into black.

* * *

Leonard was walking Winter with Mick and Lisa at the beach near the castle. Since the shipwreck, he couldn’t stop thinking about the beautiful voice of his savior and his green bright eyes. He had robbed him his heart and mind and he knew it wasn’t a dream or mirage, like Mick constantly insisted. He knew the young man was real and he needed to find him. He needed to thank him for saving his life. He owed him at least that. 

“Len, you are crazy if you believe you will find your savior at this time of the day on the beach!” Mick grumbled tired and a little bit annoyed. “It’s too damn early…”

Lisa yawned. “Agreed.”

“You could have both stayed at the castle sleeping,” Len said plainly looking at the sea.

“And let you get kidnapped by your mysterious reverse mermaid or worse, get drown by the sea…” Mick added frustrated. “I don’t think so.”

“Reverse mermaid?” Lisa asked chuckling. “The hell is that?”

“Mermaids are supposed to drown sailors not save them.”

Lisa laughed loudly. “Well, it kind of makes sense.”

Leonard rolled his eyes at the nonsensical conversation. Suddenly, Winter howled excited trying to catch his attention.

“At least someone has energy…” Mick grumbled.

“Hey!” Len said when Winter jumped against him, filling him with sand. “What’s gotten into you? Do you want to play?”

The wolf sprinted away from the group towards the bay where Len had been found after the shipwreck. 

“Winter!” Len yelled running after his wolf, followed by Lisa and Mick.

When he entered the beach hidden in the bay, the prince stopped abruptly when he saw Winter poking a heap of something, no…not something, someone unconscious, lying lifeless on the sand. Len carefully got closer and he saw brown messy hair, lean arms, and beautiful long legs. It was a naked young man only wearing arm braces. Weird.

“Is he alive?” Mick asked a little out of breath.

“I don’t know…” Len replied kneeling next to the young man to look for wounds. He carefully touched the kid’s shoulder and he felt a wave of warm electricity ran through his body. A feeling he swore he had felt before when his mysterious savior had saved him.

“Is he hurt?” Lisa asked worriedly.

Len ignored her and carefully turned the young man to the side. He needed to check him for injuries, but the moment he saw the kid’s face, the prince froze captivated. It was the most radiantly beautiful young man he had ever seen before. His skin was smooth and flawless, almost glowing under the pink soft light of the sunrise. Ethereal. Almost like a dream. Leonard slowly moved his hand to push the smooth and silky brown hair full with sand from the kid’s face and he was suddenly distracted with the perfect lips wishing he could steal a kiss from him.

“Is he breathing?” Lisa asked abruptly kneeling beside her brother and Len felt his heart skip a beat. He needed to keep his cool.

“I can feel his pulse, but I don’t see any wounds,” Len replied enthralled thinking that the kid seemed so strangely familiar. _Could it be him who saved him from the shipwreck?_

"He is beautiful," Mick added captivated. 

Lisa nodded and observed how longingly her brother examined the young man as if the kid was a beautiful dream that could fade away. He was staring at him like a blind man seeing the stars for the first time.

“What are we going to do?” Lisa asked. “I mean we can’t just leave him here. The cutie was probably washed ashore like kelp, perhaps it was a horrible shipwreck. Lenny, we should take him to the castle…. our physician should check him up…”

“That’s a good idea, Lise…” Mick said immediately noticing Lisa’s plan. “I will give you my shirt, you can’t enter the palace carrying a naked and beautiful young man.”

“Thanks,” Len said wrapping the white linen shirt around the kid’s lower half and lifting the young man carefully in bridal style to take him back to the castle. For a moment he was stunned. The kid was too light.

“Lisa, go ahead and tell Shawna to get ready and ask the servants to prepare a room for him.”

Lisa nodded and she ran off and Winter followed her back to the castle. 

Mick glanced back to the sea and he swore he saw in the calm water a splash followed by the movement of a purple tail. He frowned but shook his head. It was impossible. Reverse mermaids didn’t exist. His mind was playing tricks on him, it was too damn early in the morning and he was just probably tired. He blamed Len and he wasn’t going to panic. He silently followed his best friend back to the castle but he couldn’t help but wonder what were the probabilities that merfolk could be real.

* * *

Shawna was honestly surprised to see Leonard arrive with a half-naked young man in his arms. Lisa told her what to expect but it was shocking nonetheless.

“Careful, place him on the bed.” She instructed ready to examine her new patient. Len did as she told and moved to the side to give the royal physician some space to work.

“Where did you find him?” Shawna asked checking the kid’s pulse and looking for wounds.

“At the bay,” Len said as he leaned on the door crossing his arms and inspected the room full of potions and books mainly about science. “He was already unconscious when we found him. We have no idea what happened to him.”

Shawna hummed while she cleaned and inspected the kid with careful movements that were sharp and with purpose. “His pulse is normal, no evident wounds, he feels a little hot to touch and flushed cheeks… increased body temperature but it isn’t a heat stroke… he has a slight fever…”

“A fever?" Len asked coldly trying to hide the expression of worry in his face. "Is he going to be fine?”

“Having a fever is a sign that something out of the ordinary is going on in your body. For an adult, a fever may be uncomfortable, but usually isn't a cause for concern unless it rises too high. It normally resolves on its own…” Shawna lifted her glance to see Len’s blue eyes and smiled. “Don’t worry, Your Highness, he seems perfectly fine so far, maybe a little thin, probably a little dehydrated and extremely tired but we will have to wait until he wakes up for some answers. He needs to rest for now since he looks like he had been through an ordeal.”

“Of course,” Len added plainly trying to hide his concern. He couldn’t help but wonder if he was his savior. He couldn't wait for the young man to wake up and hear his voice and see the color of his eyes for the confirmation he had longed for so long.

“I’m glad it was you who find him,” Shawna added covering with a blanket the beautiful naked young man and placing a cold compress over his forehead. “I shudder to think about what would have happened if someone less kind would have found him in this state. Our kingdom has many kind people, better than bad, I believe. But there’s always those who would have hurt him.”

“Agreed,” Len said sharing her concern. “Shawna, can I leave him in your care, and could you inform me when he wakes up?”

The physician bowed courteously. “Of course, Your Highness. I will ask Mark to inform you when he is awake.”

“Thank you. I will go see if Lisa managed to find a room for him and ask her to retrieve some clothes and food. For now, I will return to my duties…”

“Is he going to stay with us?” Shawna asked surprised. It was uncommon for a commoner to stay in the castle as a guest.

“For the time being.” The prince explained. “Lisa insisted. We don’t know if he has nowhere else to go, or if he lost everything in the shipwreck…”

“Of course,” Shawna added sadly looking at her patient. 

“And I might owe him my life...” Len exhaled stealing a last glance of the most beautiful mystery the sea has ever washed ashore.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It seems Len is already captivated with Barry.♥ It might not be so difficult to make him fall in love with him in 3 days...  
> The next chapter is going to be a fun challenge to write since Barry won't be able to speak and I know that my writing style has heavy dialogue.  
> Wish me luck. haha >.<  
> Let me know what you think! :D


	3. Starlight Dance

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! I'm back with a new chapter! :D Sorry for the late update.  
> I hope you guys enjoy it! ♥

**“To the stars who listen and the dreams that are answered.”**

* * *

  
  
Barry slowly woke up to a warm fuzzy feeling and the sound of gentle voices. He opened his eyes and blinked a couple of times trying to focus. Slowly, he glanced to the side and realized that he was in a large circular room he didn’t recognize. It was a place full of old books, herbs, and vials with tall arched windows and walls decorated with several shades of blue and silver. There were two graceful women and a handsome man eagerly talking with each other.

“The plan will work perfectly.” A blonde woman said excited and Barry soon recognized her as Leonard’s sister. “We will give him the room next to my brother’s chambers and I will ask Lenny to show him the town tomorrow.”

The other woman laughed entertained. “It never ceases to impress me the lengths you take to see your brother happy.”

“The worst part is that he never thanks me! That jerk!”

The young man scoffed. “Well, maybe he doesn’t thank you because you are always getting him into trouble.”

“Mark!” Lisa gasped shocked. “That’s not true!”

“It is…”

Lisa yelped betrayed. “Shawna! You are both supposed to be on my side!”

“I am on your side,” Shawna replied amused. “but that’s the truth, you are both always getting into trouble, I mean the prince almost died yesterday in a shipwreck!”

Barry closed his eyes and exhaled. The last thing he remembered was drinking the magical draught Eobard gave him and then an overwhelming pain coursing through his tail. _His tail!_ Barry tentatively moved his legs and smiled. The potion really worked, he wasn’t dead and he has human legs! He had made it. He accomplished what was supposed to be impossible. Barry smiled content. Now he only needed to tell Len that he loved him and seal his fate with a true love kiss.

Mark paced from one side of the room to the other. “The noble families are highly displeased that the prince’s birthday party was celebrated in a ship at the sea and not a feast here in the castle as the tradition has always been. Worse of all, they are criticizing that they weren’t invited when Leonard is supposed to be looking for a fiancé.”

“They all just want to win the stupid crown and power. They are only thinking of their interests,” Lisa said disgustedly. “Lenny deserved some privacy.”

“I agree with you,” Mark said with a nod. “But our laws stipulate that he needs to be married before taking the crown or he will lose it to the council and the King just passed away and there’s a lot of instability at the court…”

“I know,” Lisa said aggravated. “You don’t have to mention it …”

“Also, there’s been a lot of rumors running in the castle’s hallways…” Mark added concerned.

Lisa frowned with curiosity. “Rumors?”

“Yes, about how Leonard decided to appear at the castle’s gates this _morning_ with a naked young man in his arms,” Mark explained. “Everyone is wondering who is the mysterious young man. They are concerned. They want Leonard to marry a foreign prince or princess to build an alliance, so naturally, they are bothered with the prince’s recent actions.”

 _Oh no! Morning._ Barry felt his heart racing. He didn’t know what time it was but he had lost a lot of time unconscious. He needed to find Len soon. Talk to him. Barry tried to sit up, but suddenly a sharp pain shot up through his spine and chest and he fell out of the bed naked with a loud thud. He groaned in pain but to his surprise, no sound escaped his lips and his green eyes widened at the sight of his pair of perfect legs. He stared at them with wonderment.

“Oh my god!” Shawna exclaimed moving to help her patient. “Are you hurt?!”

Shakily, Barry tried to stand up grabbing the bed for balance but he stumbled again. It was weird to use legs instead of a tail, to put all the weight of your body into them was a completely foreign experience.

“Hey! Careful!” Lisa yelped and kneeled next to the young man who was currently tangled with his blanket on the floor. “It’s okay, we won’t hurt you. You are safe.”

Barry blushed madly while quickly trying to cover himself. He knew humans weren’t comfortable with nudity, especially with the exposure of their legs. All of the times he swam at the surface, he had noticed that they were always wearing skins to cover their legs from the elements, so right now he felt completely exposed. 

“My name is Lisa,” the princess explained softly. “We found you at dawn at the beach unconscious so we brought you to our castle so that our physician could check you for injuries.”

Barry nodded and smiled shyly tightening the hold of his blankets.

Mark felt his face blush. He hadn’t noticed that the young man was so captivating. No wonder why Prince Leonard was so fascinated with him.

“Mark, help me lift him up,” Lisa said breaking the spell. The soldier quickly nodded and moved to help the princess cover the kid properly and to help him sit on the bed.

“You shouldn’t move so suddenly,” Shawna explained worried touching the kid’s forehead but Barry instinctively closed his eyes and recoiled.

“Hey, I’m not going to hurt you.” She explained and Barry slowly opened his eyes. “My name is Shawna, I’m the royal physician, and I just want to make sure you are not hurt or anything. I promise we will have you feeling better in no time.”

Barry nodded nervously.

“Thankfully, your fever is already gone.” She explained and pulled a chair beside him and she started fiddling with his face, telling him to look this way and that, even examining the inside of his mouth. “Well, he doesn’t seem to have a concussion. That’s good.” 

“Cutie, can you tell me your name?” Lisa asked softly.

Barry instinctively tried to say his name, to use his voice, but there was no sound. Slowly, he lowered his gaze and lifted his hand to touch his throat. It didn’t hurt but it was a strange feeling losing your voice.

“What’s wrong?” Lisa asked narrowing her eyes. “Sore throat?”

Barry shook his head sadly and he tapped his throat again with his fingers.

“Oh! You can’t speak?”

Barry nodded and Lisa frowned confused. She had been so sure that this cutie was the one Len was stubbornly looking for, but without a voice, it couldn’t possibly be him, or could he? What could have happened for him to lose his voice?

“Were you able to speak before?” Lisa asked with curiosity.

Barry nodded and then he tapped his throat again with his hand and made a waving movement towards the air.

“You…” Lisa said thinking and Barry waited expectantly. “Like to sing?!”

Barry silently laughed and tilted his head hesitating because yes, he liked to sing, but no that’s not what he meant so he shook his head and tried to explain again that he lost his voice.

“Oh! I know!” Shawna said excitedly. “You were yelling at the sea?”

“Why would he be yelling at the sea?” Mark asked baffled. “That doesn’t even make sense. He lost his voice!” Mark said almost facepalming. “That’s what he is trying to explain.”

Barry nodded gratefully.

“But why?” Lisa exhaled. “Shawna, could it be a possibility that he lost his voice during the shipwreck?”

Shawna hesitated but lastly nodded. “It could be. There have been some studies that said that persons who experience traumatic events can become mute but I haven’t treated or seen a case before…”

Lisa sighed. This was going to be a challenge. Especially since her lovely brother was really stubborn and he wasn’t going to believe that this young man was the one who had probably saved him from the shipwreck.

“Mark,” Lisa said. “Could you please go an inform Len that his special guest is awake.”

“Of course,” Mark replied taking a last glance of the young man. “I left Clyde’s old clothes over Shawna’s desk as you requested. Maybe some of it will fit him properly.”

“Thank you,” Lisa said with a warm smile and she turned to see the cutie who was trying desperately to fix his hair. It was obvious that he was trying somehow to look his best for her brother. She felt a warm wave of emotions flooding her heart. “Ok, I think you should change into these clothes before you meet Lenny.” She said grabbing the old robes of silk placing them next to him.

Barry blushed and nodded mouthing a silent thank you. The merman stood up and gasped soundlessly from the pain running from his feet to his navel like lightning. The sea wizard wasn’t lying when he said that it was going to hurt like hell.

“Are you okay? Do your legs hurt?” Shawna asked noticing how he could barely hold himself.

The merprince lifted his glance to see Shawna’s worried brown eyes and nodded. It hurt like stepping upon the points of sharp corals but he had no way to explain that.

“Let me check them. I might have missed something,” The physician said warmly signaling the bed and Barry sat again. She carefully lifted the blanket and inspected the muscles, his feet, and the skin. “Well, everything seems right, no broken bones, no bruises, and your leg muscles are very toned and well-defined, I will guess that you like to swim a lot?”

Barry smiled brightly and nodded.

Shawna smiled. “Yeah, probably that help you survive during the shipwreck, strong legs like this are typical of persons who like to swim a lot, like sailors. Maybe during the shipwreck, you made a wrong involuntary movement and cramped, I will apply some ointment to relieve the pain.” 

The young healer grabbed a small vial and started applying the cold and freshly scented balm on her patient’s legs while he tried hard not to giggle when he felt her hands massaging his feet.

Soon, the sound of steps on the hallway made Barry’s heart start beating wildly. Someone was coming their way. _What if Len didn’t like him? How was he going to confess his love to him without his voice?_ Barry lifted his gaze to look at the door and then Mark was back with another man who wasn’t prince Leonard. He exhaled disappointed.

“Mick! Where’s my stupid brother?”

“Busy,” Mick answered walking directly towards Barry. He halted in front of the kid and narrowed his eyes to inspected the young man from head to toes. The kid was tall, lean, handsome, with a thin waist with defined abs, beautiful green eyes, and bright warm smile. Yeah, he was completely and undeniably gorgeous and therefore Len’s type but what was curious was that he swore he had seen the kid before, at the shipwreck. He could swear he was the one who saved Lisa from drowning.

“You look familiar…” Mick murmured lost in his thoughts.

Barry shrugged innocently and smiled warmly.

“What did Lenny say?” Lisa asked with an exasperated sigh while crossing her arms.

“He said that he was unfortunately busy with some official matters but that he wanted to invite his guest to dine with him at sunset.”

Lisa smiled excitedly with Len’s plan but when she turned to see the cutie, her bright smile faded away. He looked completely devastated. 

“Hey, are you okay?”

Barry swallowed. He had lost the entire morning unconscious and now he was going to meet Leonard until sunset. He had lost almost a full day! Time was slipping away but he couldn’t explain that he was running out time. Barry nodded. He needed to be okay.

“If you are worried about the clothes don’t be,” Lisa added warmly. “I am sure Clyde’s clothes will fit you pretty well for now and I will ask our seamstress to prepare a couple of outfits for you.”

Barry smiled shyly and bowed courteously.

“Does the cute doll have a name?” Mick asked Lisa, quickly noticing the kid wasn’t speaking. “Or else, I will start calling him _Red_ for all that cute blushing!”

Barry obviously flushed deeper at the remark, but then nodded and pointed at his own lips. He was going to try to say his name slowly so that they could read his lips.

“Larry?” Mick tried guessing the movements of Barry’s lips but the young man shook his head. Surprisingly, the guess was close enough.

“Harry!” Lisa yelped and Barry crinkled his nose thinking of his mentor back in the palace. Mick, Shawna, and Mark laughed at the cute reaction while Barry imagined how angered his mentor was going to be when he notices that he had escaped the palace to become a human

“Could it be Henry?” Shawna asked but failed.

Barry shook his head frustrated.

“Barry?” Mick said unsure and the young prince grabbed Mick’s arm and nodded.

“Barry…” Lisa repeated just checking how the name felt. “It’s a cute name.”

“At least is not as terrible as Leonard.” Mick scoffed and Barry winced. If only they knew it was worse.

“Well, Barry,” Lisa said warmly. “You are welcome to stay with us the time you need. We arranged a room for you and I know Len will be delighted to have you here with us. You have at your disposal our messengers if you wish to contact your family, I am sure they will be worried the moment they hear the news about the unfortunate shipwreck…”

Barry grabbed Lisa’s hands and lifted his glance to see her light blue eyes and mouthed a soundless thank you.

“You are welcome! We will give you some privacy so you can change into Clyde’s old clothes and when you are ready, you can come out, we will give you a brief tour of the castle and then we will show you your new room.”

Barry nodded standing up trying to hide the pain he felt when his feet touched the ground and moved slowly to grab the clothes. Walking was hard, swimming was more graceful and easy. It was truly a challenge to keep his balance but he managed.

“Oh, and the black boots are yours as well,” Lisa added pointing next to Shawna’s desk a pair of black tall boots. “If you need something we will be just outside in the hallway.”

Shawna, Mick, and Mark followed Lisa out of the room. Once he was alone, Barry lowered his glance to inspect the beautiful clothes. They were soft and delicate but he had no idea how to wear them.

Obviously, he had seen how the humans dressed but he had never covered his body before. Firstly, he grabbed the black pants and wore them, it was weird feeling the clothes against his smooth skin, he continued with the white shirt and struggled a little with the armholes and sleeves, it felt like struggling blindly with an octopus, but he finally managed, he continued with the blue long tunic with silver buttons and wore it over the shirt and lastly, he covered his feet with the boots. Done with dressing himself, he inevitably wondered how he looked with human clothes, unfortunately, there was no mirror to see himself. Barry walked towards the door and opened to see Lisa and her friends waiting for him.

“Damn, Red,” Mick said impressed at the sight of the young man dressed in the old robes that hanged slightly of his frame, clearly a little large for him, but still he looked somehow beautiful. “You look really good.”

Mark nodded speechlessly and Barry felt his face heat up. He wasn’t accustomed to the attention and to compliments but he was happy thinking that maybe Len was going to think the same. 

“Come on! We have a lot to show you!” Lisa said excited grabbing Barry’s hand to start the tour through the gardens and then all of her favorite spots in the castle.

* * *

Leonard scrubbed a hand over his face sighing angry and exhausted. “You can’t all agree with this nonsense!”

“You are overreacting.” Constantine shrugged and took a drink of his wine. “It isn’t a terrible fate… just find someone you fancy, is not like you are going to marry a bloody shark…”

“John! This is ridiculous!” Len said standing up and hitting the table with his fist. “There must be something I can do to annul this!”

“Your father was a tricky old bastard,” John added. “I am not sure you can _undo_ this.”

Lord Merlyn lifted King Lewis’ will. “It is true the kingdom will benefit from an arranged marriage and a strong alliance. Your late father is right about that. You know that it has always been a requirement to be married before the coronation to ensure an heir, this measure was taken to give our realm stability and peace.”

“It’s stupid,” Leonard argued annoyed that his father even while dead controlled his fate. “I refuse to be used as a pawn!”

“Well, it states that if you don’t marry before your coronation, Lisa will inherit the crown…” Merlyn explained lifting his glance to see Leonard.

“Perfect! Problem solved.” Leonard said firmly. He wasn’t particularly interested in becoming king. He would rather have a life as a free sailor discovering the mysteries of the sea and he knew Lisa would be an excellent queen.

“But then your sister will have to marry the heir of the Santini family. Lewis talked to Lord Victor and promised her for Alessio.”

“What!?” Leonard roared stricken with the information, feeling his soul sinking. The Santini was a noble family of the north, very powerful, but their heir, Alessio, was an extremely heartless individual, and he had bloodthirsty aspirations he didn’t particularly share. He would never make Lisa marry that bastard. “No, that’s not an option.”

“Then your Majesty,” Merlyn said annoyed. “You will have to choose a fiancé soon since your coronation is set to be a week from today and as a King, you will have the power to annul Lisa’s arranged marriage.”

Leonard groaned. His expression was troubled.

John sighed. “A life for a life. You know well and better than anybody how the world works.”

“With all due respect, sire,” the royal advisor, Martin Stein said interrupting the ominous conversation. “You’ve been scouring the beach restlessly since yesterday, and to what end, Your Highness?”

“I vowed to find him,” Len said standing up and walking towards the arched windows to look at the sea with deep longing. He had never felt such passion and longing, someone. “…and I will. I just need to see him again and thank him…”

“Who?” asked Axel with curiosity, who was attending the meeting instead of his father.

Sam exhaled. “The young man who saved him from drowning during the shipwreck and who sang for him....”

“A hot merman then…” Axel added amused winking at Len.

Leonard rolled his eyes. “Not a merman, a young man and he is out there, somewhere, I just know…I can feel it.” 

“Well, I have an idea, Your Majesty,” Stein said weighting the options. “On the eve of the next full moon, which I believe is tomorrow, we will host a marvelous ball. We will invite countless eligible nobles, from far and wide–”

Leonard rolled his eyes. “I refuse.”

“–to sing for you.”

“Wait what?”

“A contest, Your Majesty,” Stein explained. “What better way to find your mysterious voice? You will be married by sunset on the next day with the one you desire, just as your father decreed and you will be able to stop Lisa’s arranged marriage…”

Leonard smirked. “Well, that isn’t a terrible idea.” 

“I know. It is already well established in the realm that I’m a genius…” Stein added conceitedly. “Truth is, there’s no real way of knowing if your savior will attend the ball but at least you would have tried to find him and well you will have the opportunity to get to know other suitable bachelors…”

“Do you think we will have time to organize this ball?” Sam asked concerned.

“If Leonard wants to find his mysterious voice it will be better to do it sooner than later,” Stein explained. 

Len nodded.

“I believe that’s the best option so far…” John added standing up. “We will have to do it for the crown and for Lisa’s sake.”

“Fine.” Leonard sighed. “Send the damn invitations.”

* * *

Barry was fascinated with the human world; Lisa had shown him so many interesting things they didn’t have in his realm like paintings, books, chandeliers lighted with fire, strange artifacts, and antiques but he tried to hide his excitement to keep his cover. The palace was huge and so far, his favorite place had been the library, since books weren’t possible underwater. He wondered how jealous Cisco and Harry would be when they learned he had been in a library…if he ever sees them again, that is…Barry felt his heart clench at the thought, he was going to miss his family and friends so badly if he managed to win Len’s love.

After a silent long walk around the beautiful castle gardens and courtyards, Barry felt his legs starting to give up. Soon, he stumbled and Mick caught him on time before he fell to the floor. “Red! Are you okay?”

Barry nodded and lowered his gaze to his legs.

“They still hurt…” Lisa said concerned. “You should rest before dinner…come on let’s go to your room…”

Barry grabbed Mick’s arm as support and they followed Lisa to the second floor, to a very secluded area of the palace where the main private chambers were located.

“This will be your new room for now!” Lisa said opening the magnificent and tall, double doors. Barry followed her inside and gasped at the beauty. The room had three tall arched windows that allowed him a perfect view of the bay and the sea. It had white-and-silver paneled walls decorated with beautiful rocaille ornamentation featuring elaborately stylized shell-like, rocklike, and scroll motifs. There was a huge double bed with blue covers and sheets embroiled with silver threads.

“Your room is next to my brother’s private chambers if you need anything you can ask him personally.” She said with a wink, Mick laughed and Barry blushed madly. “And my room is at the end of the hallway.”

The merprince nodded.

“Also, your private bathroom is behind that door, maybe you would like to take a bath before dinner?”

Barry smiled excitedly at the idea of taking a bath. He smelled like mint from the oils Shawna used to relieve the pain in his legs but his hair was still full of sand and his skin was sticky from the salty water of the sea and sweat.

Lisa signaled the servants to prepare the bath and walked towards the closet. “Also, I asked Rosa, our best seamstress in the realm, to bring you some new clothes for dinner tonight and for tomorrow. I hope you like them.”

Barry smiled looking at the attires hanging on the wardrobe. Everything was like a beautiful dream. There was no way he could express without words how happy and grateful he was _or maybe he could?_ He turned to see Lisa and he embraced the princess tightly. Lisa was suddenly surprised but smiled warmly and tightened the warm embrace.

“You are welcome, honey,” She whispered softly. “I’m really glad you are here…”

Barry smiled releasing her and smiled at Mick who smiled back.

“Don’t be late for dinner.” She added smiling before leaving the room.

“See you at sunset at the dining hall,” Mick added.

Barry nodded and walked excitedly to the bathroom that had been prepared for him. The bath took his breath away, it had a beautiful and magical stained glass with blue, purple and pink colors, representing the sea at sunset and a huge marble pool with gilded candelabras. The servants quickly left the room to give him some privacy and Barry swiftly removed his clothes, except his arm braces, and entered the pool. It was weird to be in the water without his tail but it was a pleasant and comforting feeling.

The merprince washed his hair with a lavender shampoo and relaxed into the calm warm water for a while. The water started soothing a bit the sharp pain in his legs and he couldn’t help but wondered if, after the true love kiss, he would continue to feel the pain, or would it fade away? He didn’t ask Eobard…well, he didn’t ask the sea wizard about a lot of things…he had rushed without thinking, like always. Barry glanced down and saw under his arm brace the black sailor knot bracelet he stole from Leonard and smiled warmly. He could do this. He could change his stars.

When he finished his bath, he moved to inspect the new clothes. He quickly chose some black pants, a crimson linen shirt, a black overcoat, and his boots. He was starting to get used to the feeling of covering his body. On the other side of the room, he saw a mirror and approach it to fix his hair. It was the first time he saw his complete reflection. It was weird but he smiled shyly at his reflection. He didn’t look bad with human clothes. In the reflection, he noticed that the sun was starting to set on the horizon. Beautiful colors were starting to paint the vast sky meaning it was time to meet Leonard and his fate.

Barry inhaled deeply trying to get some confidence and exited his room walking slowly towards the dining hall. He was still trying to get accustomed to his legs. It wasn’t as easy as humans made it seem but thankfully in the spell, Eobard did to remove his tail, he said he was going to keep his graceful form and movements.

Idle in his thoughts, he was about to turn the corner to enter the main hallway, when he saw two noblewomen talking loudly. Unconsciously, he ducked behind the nearest stone column to hide. He wasn’t very confident yet with the human interactions and he was still nervous since he couldn’t communicate properly without his voice. Furtively, he glanced as the women passed almost next to him conversing. 

“Eva, are you serious?” A blond woman asked. “You must have at least heard about the boy... that’s what everyone is been talking about all day.”

“No, I haven’t Amunet, so why don’t you enlighten me…I have been quite busy with my work to pay attention to stupid rumors…”

“Such a killjoy!” Amunet rolled her eyes. “The prince saved a young man that was washed ashore after a terrible shipwreck, the young man was completely naked and he doesn’t speak, not a single word…it seems he captivated Leonard’s attention with his depravity and lack of modesty. Could you believe that?”

Eva laughed. “Well, that’s quite a story. Definitely, not my idea of a proper suitor for our future king. If Leonard is looking for a boy, I know a couple of highly available bachelors…”

“Agreed.”

“I wonder what does he sees in him?” Eva said with sudden curiosity.

“I don’t know but they maids said that the prince invited him to dine with him…” Amunet said amused. “Imagine that table chat! Probably one-sided! How uncomfortable!”

The two women continued laughing and disappeared at the end of the corridor.

With a sigh, Barry forced himself away from the column and headed to the prince’s private dining room feeling discouraged and unsure of his quest. _What if he wasn’t good enough for the prince?_ He had been a fool to follow his heart. 

When he arrived at the entrance of the dining hall, two soldiers opened the doors for him. Barry smiled at them and he entered the astonishing room. It was a relatively small chamber with tall windows that overlooked the bay. There was a circular main table where Lisa, Mick, and Leonard were already talking and clearly waiting for him.

The sight of Len stole his breath away. He looked so handsome and perfect. He was dressed in black and royal blue clothes and his eyes were so deep and intense.

“Barry! You look incredible!” Lisa yelped warmly and Mick nodded.

Leonard stood up and glanced at Barry speechless. He could see the depths of the sea tinted with warm sunlight in those beautiful green eyes and he immediately froze as comprehension dawned on him, Barry was the one who saved him during the shipwreck. Those beautiful green eyes were the ones of his savior. He was the one he longed for.

“I have been looking for you…” Len said excitedly moving to meet Barry halfway.

Barry released a shaky breath he didn’t even realize he was holding and smiled. Leonard was just so intense, dashing, and quietly powerful he could feel his face flushing and the air escaping his lungs. He was so damn nervous he couldn’t even breathe.

“You look–” Len murmured unable to find the right words. “–like a dream.” 

Barry blushed shyly but smiled brightly. His heart was beating hard and fast in his chest. 

Suddenly, the fluffy creature he had seen in the ship and at the bay jumped excitedly against him. Barry stumbled but smiled warmly recognizing his cute four-legged friend.

“Winter! Don’t!” Len said trying to calm his wolf. “It seems he likes you.”

Barry smiled brightly petting the wolf between his ears.

“Lisa, told me your name is Barry?” Len asked curiously.

 _“Yes!”_ Barry answered excited completely forgetting he had lost his voice, but unfading silence remained.

Leonard’s awe swiftly shifted to confusion and sadness. “You can’t talk?” He said and turned to glance at his sister who grimaced and he glanced back to Barry. 

The merprince seeing the disappointment etched on Leonard’s handsome face, took a step back unsure of what to do. This wasn’t how their meeting was supposed to be, there shouldn’t be so much distress and sadness. Maybe it wasn’t too late to go back to the sea. He had been so stupid to think this could possibly work.

“I am so sorry…it’s okay…” Leonard said noticing his guest's sorrow. “I just thought you were someone else…”

Barry felt his heart sink deeper. He was the one Len was looking for, but he didn’t know how to explain it without endangering of exposing his kin and all of his damn lies. 

“Are you hungry?” The prince asked trying to hide his disappointment.

Barry hesitated but eventually nodded, truthfully, he was starving badly. Leonard extended his arm and Barry took it as they walked towards the table and Winter followed them and curled next Barry’s chair.

“Oh, this is so nice!” Lisa added happily. “It’s been a long time since we dined in the company of such loveliness!”

Mick nodded smiling kindly at Barry. “Usually, it’s just us and I have to sit across the table and see at Len’s ugly mug.”

Barry giggled and Lisa laughed loudly.

“Very amusing, Mick,” Len said annoyed.

“It’s the truth,” Mick said shrugging while lightening his pipe. He loved to smoke before and after his meals. Barry brightened at the sight of the pipe. He remembered Wells explaining to him that those kinds of pipes were used to create beautiful music.

Lisa lifted her eyebrows a little confused. “Barry, are you fond of tobacco?”

Barry picked the pipe that Mick offered and admired it with curiosity. Oh, Wells would be so jealous of all the things he is learning about the humans!

Mick smiled. “It is a good pipe! It is an antique meerschaum from Coast City–”

Barry blew into the pipe as though it were a musical instrument, sending a massive cloud of ash right into Mick’s face.

Len couldn’t but laugh loudly at the sight as well as Lisa.

“Sorry to say this old mate,” Len said between laughs. “but it looks like your pipe smoked you–”

Barry grimaced and offered his handkerchief to Mick mouthing a silent sorry.

“Red,” Mick coughed. “You are definitely a special kind of crazy. I like it.”

Lisa smiled impressed to see Len’s sincere smile. It had been a long time since she last saw it. “Well, it seems like Barry certainly knows how to make you smile, dear brother.”

Barry lifted his glance to see Len’s smile and they stared at each other for a brief moment across the table. No words were necessary. Time seemed to stop just to make their souls intensely catch on fire with the dreams of distant lives.

Len broke their connection first at the sound of the servants bringing their dinner. The sunset was now long gone and replaced with a blue night sky fading into black.

“Oh, this looks delicious!” Lisa said when the servant revealed the main dishes.

Barry shifted his attention to the food but he could still feel Len’s eyes lingering on him. The merprince observed all the dishes and frowned, there was lobster, cooked fish, a green salad, and some dishes he couldn’t recognize. He didn’t eat meat so he just ate salads and what looked like some kind some sort of vegetables.

“You don’t eat meat?” Lisa asked observing Barry’s dish.

Barry shook his head.

“I can ask for another salad? Or another dish for you?”

Barry shook his head mortified. He didn’t want to be a burden. He signaled that the salad, and the vegetables, were good enough and smiled trying to ease Lisa’s concern.

“So, Lenny, you haven’t told us what important business kept you from visiting your guest this afternoon?

Len almost choked with a shrimp and he took a drink of wine. “I believe it is not of your concern and it is definitely a subject I won’t enjoy talking over dinner…”

Lisa’s eyes widened. “That bad?”

Leonard’s mind offered an image of Lisa married to Alessio and he groaned. “Yeah.”

“Well, it couldn’t be that bad if the council is planning a party for you,” Mick said narrowing his eyes. “What are you hiding from us?”

“A party?” Lisa asked confused.

“It was Lord Stein’s idea,” Len explained looking away towards the sea. “He wants to host a ball and to invite eligible bachelors _to sing_ for me.”

Barry almost chocked with his drink.

Lisa chuckled. “Barry, dear, careful with the wine…”

“What the actual fuck?” Mick laughed. “Did Stein lose his mind? It must be the old age…”

“The laws state that I should be married before the coronation, so the council believes that this would be the best opportunity to find the young man with the mysterious voice so that I could marry him, if I don’t marry before the coronation and I abdicate, Lisa will have to marry Alessio Santini.”

Lisa paled feeling her stomach drop. “Alessio?”

“Our father was truly a bastard,” Len said disgusted and then glanced at Lisa. “I will never make you marry against your will. I want you to marry for love. I will do everything in my power to protect you.”

“And what about you?” Lisa frowned sadly. “Who will protect you?”

“I can protect myself and I guess I will host the damn ball to try my luck…” Len said trying to hide how deflated he felt. “Hopefully, he will show up.”

If he could, Barry would have cursed fate, the ocean, and Thawne, yep, especially Thawne. What were the odds that Len was looking for his voice and the one thing he lost to be with him was exactly that? _The irony_. Definitely, nothing ever goes as planned.

“Well, let’s hope your mysterious young man assists and saves you again…” Lisa said glancing at Barry with hope.

The merprince broke the eye contact and grabbed his wine, which was making him feel lightheaded and it was definitely helping in drowning his sorrows. He wouldn’t be able to save Len without his voice.

“I told you it wasn’t good news,” Len added dryly. “Definitely a matter we should avoid at dinner since we have a guest.”

“Well,” Mick said roguishly “If we are going to host a ball, maybe Barry will care to stay and enjoy it with us?”

Barry lifted his glance to see Mick’s mischievous smile.

“What do you say, Red? Want to party with us?”

Barry’s eyes widened with hope. Maybe he couldn’t sing or talk as before, but he could try to charm Len some other way, he just needed a plan. He couldn’t give up just because there were new challenges. He couldn’t lose Leonard just because he couldn’t speak, that would be so unfair after all the sacrifices he had done. Barry nodded agreeing to the kind invitation. He was going to stay and win Len’s heart.

Lisa smiled and Len scoffed secretly pleased that Barry decided to stay.

Soon, they started talking about more pleasant matters, maybe thanks to the influence of the wine, Mick started telling Barry about his adventures with Len at the sea, Lisa shared her love for music, parties and dancing and Barry didn’t notice how time passed them by, they were just there together laughing and for that moment, that was enough.

“It’s getting late,” Lisa said yawning. “I will go rest; it has been a long day and tomorrow is going to be longer with the ball.”

“Agreed. I will retreat as well,” Mick said smiling and everyone immediately stood up.

Lisa said her proper goodbyes and then embraced Barry. “Thank you,”

Barry smiled feeling that those words expressed more than simple gratitude.

“Red, it was a pleasure having dinner with you.” Mick said and Barry grabbed Mick’s hands and smiled. He felt the same way.

“Good night,” Mick said winking roguishly at Len. “Take good care of our lovely guest.”

Leonard rolled his eyes but smiled. “I will.”

Mick disappeared through the door followed by Winter and Barry and Len were finally alone. Barry glanced shyly at Len with high hopes and nervousness. He wasn’t sure how to conquer Len’s heart without his voice.

“Are you tired?” Len asked.

Barry shook his head. Even if he was tired, he wasn’t going to lose the opportunity to share some time alone with Len.

“Lisa told me that in the afternoon she showed you some places of the palace,” Len said thinking. “Did she show you the ballroom?”

Barry shook his head.

Leonard smiled spiritedly. “Follow me, Scarlet!’

Barry frowned and grabbed Len’s wrist to call his attention and lifted his hand in an inquiry way. He wanted to know why the prince called him _Scarlet._

Leonard smirked playfully. “You look really good in red and your blush is quite alluring.”

Barry blushed madly and looked somewhat scandalized.

Len laughed. It was so easy to tease the beautiful young man before him.

“Come on!”

Barry followed Leonard with curiosity. They walked through the long hallways only lit with the warm light of old torches and it felt like they were the only ones in the palace awake. It was, as if the world was spinning around in a blur and they were the only ones standing still in the center of all. Soon, they were running. It was the first time Barry ran and the indescribable feeling of the wind against his skin was addictive, the rush of adrenaline running through his veins and his feet getting lighter and lighter which every step he took, made him completely forget the pain and filled him with the feeling of freedom.

Leonard suddenly grabbed Barry’s hand and they ran stumbling into a massive room, breathless and laughing. The merprince gasped at the beauty of the room, it was large and majestic, it had an impressive ornate ceiling, and it was surrounded with silver walls and tall windows that showed the starry night sky.

“Look at us,” Len said amused and his voice echoed in the barely lit ballroom. “What a couple of _rogues_ …”

Barry stared puzzled at Len.

“You are a silent young man in a noisy world and I am a prince who would rather be a simple sailor… we are both…fish out of the water, you and me.”

Barry scoffed at the irony, but he could understand what Leonard was trying to say. He just escaped his world, his responsibilities, his fiancé, and arranged marriage wishing for a beautiful impossible dream.

“Tomorrow, I will have to choose someone to marry here,” Len said sadly. “And I will have to say goodbye to my freedom.”

Barry stared miserably at Len. Oh, how he wished he could speak…

“I’m sorry, who needs words anyway…right?” Len added murmured. “A smile says just as much sometimes…just don’t tell Lisa I said that I don’t want her thinking that I don’t have a cold heart. That could ruin my reputation.”

Barry smiled reassured with the fact that he just learned that Len had a beautiful heart, he had shown during diner how protective he was of his sister and how he secretively longed for true love.

“Promise me that you will dance tomorrow with me…” Len added looking at Barry’s green eyes. 

Barry felt his heart skip a beat and nodded excited and even confident, maybe it was all the wine he drank, he was going to blame Mick later for continuously filling his goblet. 

Curiously, he flexed up and down on his toes.

Len lifted an eyebrow. “It seems you are graceful on your feet, Scarlet.”

Barry shook his head amused. Not at all. _If he only knew._

“Well, Lisa says that dancing beats small talk any day, want to give her theory a try?”

Barry nodded thrilled. He had never danced before, but he had rescued a long time ago a music box from a shipwreck with a ballerina on top and he always dreamed of dancing on land under the stars.

“Dancing is kind of a language that it is felt instead of heard,” Len said moving closer to Barry. “You can whisper, sing or shout, without so much as a word, you just need to let your emotions tell your body what to do…”

Leonard bowed and moved around to an imaginary song and Barry followed, imitating the steps and even including steps of his own. It was curious, dancing was like swimming, like floating, there were no inhibitions, there was only the two of them in the ballroom under the starlight and they were soon completely in tune with one another, moving as one, as poetry in motion.

Len offered his hand to Barry and he felt a wave of lightning coursing through his body when their fingertips touched, he felt the same when his savior touched him... Maybe it was his imagination, but he couldn’t describe the feeling when he was near Barry. It was as if they were meant for each other, as silly as it sounded.

“You are beautiful,” Len whispered with shallow breath and he grabbed Barry’s waist to pull him close against his chest and Barry lifted his arms around Leonard’s shoulders.

Soon, they were inches apart, gazing into each other’s eyes, surrendering to their feelings, making the boundaries between them fade with every step, and every step was one step closer to revealing the truth of their feelings…

Barry rested his head over Len’s shoulder and they kept dancing for what felt like hours, to the silent song of the night, only the sound of crashing waves could be heard far away.

The merprince smiled, feeling Len’s body against him, it was the first time, that he really desired that time would stop and just be there with Len for eternity.

Unfortunately, eternity had an ending.

The dance slowly ended and Prince Leonard bowed with courtesy at Barry. The merprince smiled and Leonard stared at Barry’s deep green eyes, secretly wishing Barry was the one who saved him, he couldn’t deny how attracted he felt to him but he knew it couldn’t possibly be him. 

Len lifted his hand to touch Barry’s face and he lowered his gaze to see Barry’s soft lips, it was so tempting to stop his search, just to fall in love for Barry who was there, in front of him, in his arms,…Len started moving slowly in to steal a kiss when the night breeze carried the voice he longed for so long.

“Do you hear that?” Len asked looking at the sea but Barry opened his eyes and shook his head with concern. 

Completely distracted Len took a step back holding his head. The voice was calling him like a siren's song.

“Forgive me– I haven’t been myself lately.”

Barry frowned confusedly and slightly scared. He couldn’t hear anything besides the sea.

“It’s after midnight, I should let you get some sleep, tomorrow I will take you to the village, Lisa’s idea, and it is going to be a long day with the evening ball, so you should rest. Good night, Scarlet.” Leonard said leaving hastily the ballroom without looking back and Barry watched him coldly depart, leaving him crestfallen and alone in the massive ballroom with only the stars as a witness of his silent tears.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Like always, thanks for reading this crazy fic and I hope this chapter didn't disappoint. ♥  
> Let me know your thoughts! :3


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